What Dreams May Come? Poem by ivor or ivor.e hogg

I fear to sleep for dreams may come
which force me to relive again.
Dark memories which aren’t welcome.
Such dreams can drive a man insane.
Things I have done which I regret.
Long years ago and far away.
Some things it’s better to forget
Spring forth to haunt me still today.

Sometimes you do not have a choice.
No time to think you just react.
You pull the trigger and rejoice
that you shot first and that’s a fact.
You have shot dead some innocent
mistaken for an enemy.
It’s just another incident
embedded in your memory.

I’m tired and I fain would rest
but peace of mind’s denied to me.
Such recollections deep imprest
can’t be erased from memory.
Odd times I can sleep peacefully
with no bad dreams to cause distress.
I fall asleep eventually
Anaesthetised by weariness.