SPOTLIGHT: Nineteen Nightmares and a Dream by Michael Sutton

Nightmare #7

cake is stupid people food she says the enforcement officer nudges you into the churchyard for Ursula Lassos the Moon all kinds of skulls in the craters horse skulls and bat skulls and pig skulls and neanderthal teeth scraped by stone tools onwards skateboarders lead you to dandelions hung above the river occasionally impaling people a bipedal feline with a coat and a cain follows you round for the rest of the night reflections of rainbows in his monocle cake is stupid people food she says behind her the river lilies are bleeding she smiles at you her face is vaporous dust the cat coifs his mane

Nightmare #8

you were raising cattle in an Irish border town wake at dawn hope for hot water something to eat work hard regardless for a bit of extra cash skin the cows turn their hides to orange leather jackets business was good then came your competitor offering his cruelty free alternative lacquered tangerine skin coats he smelled so sweet you wanted to marry him you needed to send him a message cow flesh in his bedsheets douse his door with blood just business only ever business but the wedding was a quiet affair the children all whispered when you entered the hall on a garlanded bull with milkshakes moonlight beef a l’orange you loved him he smelled so sweet you stood in the middle of the dancefloor waiting for his hand to twirl you he was gone there was nothing left of him just the bitter taste of pith and a head mushed beneath a cloven hoof

Nightmare #9

they clean you up real good give you powdered lemon tea still sense
they’re against you no matter how they hide their mouths with masks you see it in their iris clouds they give you drugs to make you nice
they lie you down and groom your brow with a tooth on a stick nice and limp you look up at the stucco novelty ringtones shriek in your ears hello tonging your gums a few loose teeth remain with greyness your lids foreclose flickering finally your eyes entombed a nice smooth tooth makes its way to your lips a voice cries I missed you I’m coming back home

Nightmare #10

the sun could rise a million times you’d still be playing chess with Stanley Kubrick in the Overlook Hotel days he spends on a move so you go for some air breathe in the fumes of fireworks listen to the vampire birds their sucking sounds are heard for miles now muffled by the slurs of your opponent you’ll never be anything darned scum you can vouch for the claims of psychological abuse a mystery how drunk he is how slow he sips his bourbon the hair of the dog that bit him you bastard fuck orange El Dorado now just saying random words claiming clairvoyance the city of riches awaits head back inside save yourself from frostbite Stanley’s gone wandering leaving Kb1 the only move

Nightmare #11

who knows neither of you why you chose the pizza shop something Delights just past the vale for your rendezvous who knows why the smell of raw onions and recently defrosted meats really gets you going but here you are door ajar cold flesh on esoteric tiles mid grated cheese he screams I hate you get away from me you just want to display him in the warm window misplaced the mechanical cat waves to say I know how it feels down there not even in the correct hemisphere you look towards the oven it hits you like a ton of onion rings he’s fully dressed the police are on their way