When my dog began licking my toes
I woke up,

Found myself standing in the silent kitchen,
With a knife in my hand.

Its point softly pressed against
My naked abdomen,
Ready to squeeze itself in,
Through the tiny sweat pore

I felt the world turning blurred
Fading away,
Like murky, hoary memories
Disolving into an intangible darkness

I wished I was part of it,
The chocolate obscurity,
So I held on to my knife,
Like a butcher
Standing before a hog

Then, I felt a tingle from
My toes.
There, my ebullient dog
Licking them toes again.

"Oh no,"
I dropped to the floor
And cried till my eyeballs
Slid out their sockets

The joyful dog hopped onto my front,
Lay her belly upon mine,
Transported her warmth
To my unguarded tummy

At last, I opened my eyes,
To face the world,
Alas, the world,
that was now clear as tears.