nightmare

Toss and turn in my sleep,
from all the dreams you steal and keep.
I know not what you do with them,
within my slumber they are nightmares of men.

I awake with a jolt,
and the instinct to bolt.
Yet I sit upright and try,
feeling terrified I remember why.

I remain in my bed,
bleary-eyed and filled with dread.
What scared me the most?
my dreams the uninhibited host.

In them I see what could've been.
Things I wished I had never seen.
There he was, our child in hand.
Her reaching out to me with a look of demand.

behind him I saw all of his conquests,
past, present and future west's.
I try to run away from this,
this view I completely dismiss.

I feel better knowing it was just lies
no more panic, fury and sighs.
I just have to breathe and start my day right,
my only concern is if it will come back this next night.