When I was young I fell asleep
And dreamt I sailed upon a sea
Where dreams were real enough, and cheap.
We called the sea: Reality.
The colours of the world have leached,
My skin is creased, my fingers shake;
I woke to find the barky beached.
Spiced foods give me the belly-ache.
I wonder if I’m fast awake
Or dreaming still? I wouldn’t know.
The sea is shrunk into a lake —
And where did all the mermaids go?