sad owl

Over the weekend I dreamed of a couple engaged in a court battle to get the right to kill their child. She was some kind of burden to them. At first it seemed like their child was practically a vegetable and not progressing. She was very premature. They said that she only gained 1.3 pounds over the past year. At first I sort of agreed that it was their right as parents to make this difficult decision. But then I saw the child, or at first I heard her. She could speak--very well, she seemed smart. I was surprised that she could talk. She was so angry and her parents were angry for my taking any interest in her. When I looked at her, I saw she wasn't much of a human, instead very much like an owl. I told her that she was beautiful, because she was. We talked and that upset her parents more. I remembered that their last child was an owl too and she died somehow. It occurred to me that gaining 1.3 pound in a year was quite an accomplishment for an owl. I felt strongly that she shouldn't be killed. I remembered, when I was a child, hearing owls hooting at night. She's not deformed or a burden, she's an owl, you stupid fucks.

* * *

The dream struck me so deeply, I ordered this necklace to, I don't know, to remember, honor, her by? I feel very sad for her.



* * *

I've only recorded one other owl dream. On April 14, 2009 I dreamed that I was at the 2nd day of the Conversations and Connections conference. I was dreading the second day of editor speed-dating sessions, but it turned out there was a workshop instead. A strange pudgy owl floated around the tables. It was smiling and goofing around. It was in very good spirits. I mentioned to someone that I never saw anything quite like it. It seemed to be attracted to a local DC poet. It played with other animals. I took pictures. The owl with a cat. The owl with another strange bird. The owl with turtles. With a woman. I decided I took enough and stopped.