the sea was orange upside down;
a scaled blue bulldog stood on top of it

smirking its fish-faced Cheshire teeth
and my friend, Mary, walking it, looked plastic--

so I asked her, why do you
look like a mannequin(?)
she stared blankly

but everything else looked normal, 
even the tree roots waved
in purple cotton candy clouds,

and the winding river was the usual dark green 
dodging to the left through the littered 
box-store clearance aisle

where I could float and shop for chotskies
cuckoo clocks, and puke-colored sweat-shop dishware 
while I sailed my dingy white dinghy 

so punctured, I feared could sink at any time
searching for a trinket
yes --you know the feeling - browsing
for who-knows-what -- but wanting something
nonetheless, and knew I wasn't finished
(but had to go real bad & oh, it burned)

and thought it will just be okay; I'll just go 
--in the river because
(no one would notice  --a secret) 

-but I pushed, but something corked it
 I was so frustrated - I knew I was awake,
 but couldn't feel my tool - oh my--
 
the shock --it was numb, like, it's not there
and I said to myself, it must be time
to wake up - but aren't I already awake(?) 

so I pushed harder but felt clamped off, 
therefore, called myself to WAKE UP thinking 
maybe, just maybe - I was dreaming, 
but how could that be(?) 

the scene 
was far too real .. yes, even the dog 
still grinning through the sea fog, 
oh so correctly,

and I said, COME ON --it's time now
or am I (?? ..) did I croak(?) 
am I helpless to get back(?) 
did I translate(?) then dread shouted, 
IT'S TIME FOR ME TO WAKE UP-- 

and I began to reenter like an astronaut
riding a flying brick,
and wasn't sure I could hold 
my breath long enough to get
back to the surface-- 
as the cobwebs cleared, I became certain
I wet the bed