SENDING LETTERS

There are ways of sending letters in dreams

But no sure ones. Postmen from Thurn und Taxis,

Gallant men all, are reliable, but can scarce read

And insist the address be in old German

Blackletter, looking as if an arthritic spider

Has crawled from the ink and merrily danced

Defiant of its eight-legged woes.

The Royal Waverly Mail is much praised

But they will not exist for a century or more

And avert their eyes when we speak to them

Thinking they deal with spirits.

Best, perhaps, to find some dream-haunting beast,

Chimera, unicorn, manticore, rok,

And ask it to keep your letter until the adressee

Dreams of it. If you use this method I recommend

The Antichrist. He’s trusty, appears in many dreams

And – this is important, so mark it well –

Has pockets in his fulgin clothes.