Waking Life Poem by Benjamin K Duncan

To know dying and that you are dreaming,
are complications and compromises of the dying dream itself.
for an unknown compromise beats beneath us all.
We fall short of what we expect we should be.
Even in dreams of deliberate anguish,
we see nothing; but believe everything.
Obsidian desire is derelict in utopian night.

We have decisions to make, but are apathetic;
our life is a structure of delay, making impossible our
ability to grow and understand.

In a future glimpse, we should have known not to touch the switch.

Foresight is a cruel beast, creating misfortune of intimate desire
lascivious luck, is debased by wanton logic.
I only wanted this kiss, I didn't want to think about it.
I think of implications and complications - second guess.

I want to live now, before I die.
forget all that makes me mortal,
and deny my deathly curse.
A million life experiences, lived in one night
everynight, week in week out.

I don't want to wake up from the dream;
I don't want to plateau to boredom.
I don't want the luxury of security.

Any moment we could have a memento mori,
and discover what a waste we have made ourselves.
I never want to realise that.
I never want to give in.