The Welcome

Dreamer

2 Dreamer The green bear was settled in for the winter. His cave was as warm as his haunches. He rested his head on his paws and slept, and began to dream. In the first dream, the green bear slew his enemies without mercy. In the second dream he was besieged, and barricaded against the knighthood. The last dream was a dream of madness: the green bear bastioned against the elements, and a fiery tombstone. The green bear wrote down all his dreams on birchbark. In the spring, he went to an analyst. He told her the three dreams. She said, “Sir, you are rumored to be one of the bear family. Pray, tell me, how did you become so green?” “I became green when a scion was cut from older stock and the cottage trade took hold. Green is the color of the Adirondack, and life,” he said, “is a blitzkrieg.” “Then,” said she, “allow me to interpret your dreams. In the first dream, you fear a bugbear. In the second dream, you have not properly washed. And in the third dream, nature remonstrates you for being singular. You would do well to close the gap between you and your forefathers.” The green bear paid the analyst for the nifty interpretations , then went about his business. He was glad he had not discussed his amours. A voice at the back of his head told him to rise and shine. 01.Poems.1-64_Fried.indd฀฀฀2 11/28/05฀฀฀12:33:17฀PM ...