My father had a dream
a dream of men
a dream to overcome what
he had seen, heard, felt and done.
The dream was
vivid, strong, and true.
It carried him through his years as a sailor.
It filled him up in ways nothing else ever had.
My father had a dream,
a dream of time, endless days, weeks and years
that would send him letters of devotion, of hope, of love.
My father had a dream
that was bigger and louder than anything he had ever imagined.
It was proud and happy and aligned
with his beliefs and truths.
My father had a dream
of blackness, sorrow and sadness, it
swallowed him whole
and allowed him to drown
within his
longing, his growing, his thoughts.
My father had a dream
that became an unending of dreams
one that men hope to never have,
but some inevitably do.
My father had a dream
that became my burden to overcome, to grow out of
and understand
in ways
that not even he could.
My father had a dream
that became a cloud
that shadowed all of our lives
in ways that one could never have imagined.
My father had a dream,
I hope he awakens one day.
© Anita Cellucci and Speak Your Truth. Be Soul-full. Be free., 2016.