
Mr. Cahoots
In the dream
I’m walking in East Vancouver
the setting sun illuminates
the low shoebox buildings
the streets are empty
except for me
and the guy who’s following me
his name is Mr. Cahoots
he’s wearing a pink top hat
a pink frock coat
pink flared pants
and gold boots
mostly he follows
but every now and again
he scuttles past
and walking backwards
he gives me the jazz hands
and laughs in my face
his eyes are manic
his nose is aquiline
and I know what he is saying
although he isn’t saying anything
he’s saying
You! You are not in control!
he’s saying
You! You are not in control!
In response to Brendan’s prompt over at earthweal
Write a dream poem using its language and rhetoric and dark sense. What moony light does it cast on the day? If you care, add to the poem or a note with any associations from waking life that the dream seems to be commenting on. If the dream is your unconscious speaking to you, what is it trying to help your waking writing mind to see?
My sister died recently after a very short illness. She was the eldest, there are six of us. I had the dream described in the above poem around the time she died. A family , particularly a large family is, in some ways, a collection of vantage points and we lost our top vantage point, the one who had seen it all. Now five seems like a very small number.
I’m sorry for your loss.
The Mr Cahoots character is striking: the Lord of Misrule in all of our lives.
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Thank you Ingrid, much appreciated.
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To be, as they say, “in cahoots,” is to be part of conspiratorial congress; what wingman this Mr. Cahoots here, a dapper devil. If “you” is the dream’s perspective, then Cahoots is the poet and brother and man. Sorry so for your sister. The numbers flatten out these days. -Brendan
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Thanks Brendan and thank you for the prompt, fascinating as always, JIM
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I’m very sorry for your loss, losing a sister is hard.
Love Mr Cahoots — yes, we are not in control…..
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Thanks Kim, much appreciated.
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The Fool knows, and lives it. But we have our own roads to walk, and sometimes they are hard. My condolences, a sibling is part of what tethers us to the world. (K)
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Thank you Kerfe, for your very thoughtful comment..JIM
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A very poignant dream Jim, I’m so sorry for your loss. When a sibling passes the energetic web that connects you all may at first feel disjointed until it settles into a new pattern. Wishing you and your family strength in these difficult times.
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Thank you, Xenia, much appreciated.
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Such sadness. I am sorry for your loss.
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Thank you, much appreciated>
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ah, Jim, I am sorry for your loss. five is indeed small, and dreams are powerful reminders that we are not in control ~
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Thanks M!
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