A Dream Shared Unknowingly

Athlone Refugee Centre

Picture: Athlone refugee centre, scene of some of the fighting in the Sieges of Athlone in the Wiliamite Wars 1689-1692

A dream horrific of men being killed
Woke the lady though the night
Of men of old with shield and sword
On horseback in a fight
Perhaps a film seen and forgot
Was what brought these dreams
But she said she had not watched films such as that…
Its not the cause it seems
For these night visions terrifying
To a stranger in a land as strange
Finding it hard to settle, sleep disturbed
Left the brain within nightmares range…

And so nothing of the dreams was said
And time in time is passed
But the dreams she thought in time would go
They always seemed to last
Though she was settled and all was well
As well as things can be
When you are far from your home
In Ireland as a refugee

One night in a neighbours home while talking
Another neighbour spoke
Of a recurring dream she had over the months
From which she often awoke
And she described in every detail
As our friend sat silent out the story came
The dream in every detail
It seemed it was the same…

And speaking to her husband
They thought it strange and wondered why
And told few they did she dreamt as well
But one day when talking I
Told of the Sieges of Athlone
Of which they had heard not
The site of the fighting and killing
Their camp was on the very spot!!!

Was this in a Romanies dreams
The ghosts of soldiers long dead
Still fighting the Williamite wars
Filling the minds of the living with dread
Or was it the dreams of one unsettled
In a land that was new
We know not which it was
But she and they now think they do

For the dead return in dreams
And grudges do not forgive
And will enter the dreams of those asleep
Who on the site of their death do live
Such it is their belief
And who knows, maybe they are right…
So pay attention when you dream
The dead may speak to you tonight…

Have your say...

comments