The Dream At Hanling Creek Poem by Alice Holmes

Lying in bed as your imagination closes your eyes,
Seeing shapes that move

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

You and your friend, swimming in Hanling Creek
Jumping happily off rocks
Splashing your mother as she tans
Moving shapes come again to take you away

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

Your mate and you sitting on a bench eating ice-cream
Watching a child holding a dog
Happily crying
As she takes it home with her Dad
Again, shapes take you away

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

Your father and you fishing at Hanling Creek
Soon you catch a fish twice the length as your fathers arm
He ruffles your hair in glee
Shapes take you away flying

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

A small child crying bitterly at the top of the stairs
Hearing his parents fight
Ending with him running outside
As shapes come again you realise that boy was you

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

You and your friend camping under the stars
As the birds take their morning drink at Hanling Creek
Yawning widely
Trying to wake up from your dream
Again, shapes carry you off

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

A class full of teenagers trying to learn to dance
You and your mate laughing at yourselves
Swapping partners
Happily giving your friends’ girlfriend a slow dip
With a smile, shapes take you away

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

You by your sick mother in the hospital
Crying bitterly
As she sleeps you walk away
Moving shapes come once again

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

You place flowers by a grave
Crying softly
Knowing you’ll never see your mother again
Shapes take you away weeping

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

You sitting on the beach playing a slow song
Waves lapping at the shore
Softly, sadly, you start to sing
You don’t notice your mates girlfriend coming
Listening
Sadly, shapes come again

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

All your friends celebrating your 18th birthday
Smiling widely
But still sad
Because you notice your father not there
Moving shapes make you fly

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

Camping at Hanling Creek
You open your eyes to see birds and trees gone
Water dirty
Floating rubbish everywhere
And you know, it will never be the same again
Once more, shapes come to take you away

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

You and your mate shoving each other in a fight
Tackling madly
Coming off second best with a black eye
Painfully, shapes come into view

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

You starting your first acting job
Wildly jumping
Soon everyone wants you in their movies
As shapes come again the last thing you see is you

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

Once again you stand over a grave
Softly crying
As both your parents are dead
Shapes engulf you in their colour

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

You standing alone
Staring
Crying
As two birds fly past
Soon, moving shapes come

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

A guitar in your hand starts to play
Moving along with the tree you lean upon
Singing
People sit down to listen to you
The music fades as shapes come

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

Your mate’s girlfriend and you sitting and talking
Just talking
About life and death
A sunrise lights up the horizon as you realise you’ve been talking all night
A small smile comes over your face as you go

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream

Sunlight shines in your face as you wake
Your mate’s ex-girlfriend beside you
Tied by two rings
As you open your eyes you hear the words

Twisting, turning
Your mind ever burning
As you see what's in your dream