The Dream Control Device

©2014 Dave Clegg

I came across an old brass lamp

To which I gave a stroke,

And from which popped a genie 

In a swirling cloud of smoke.

He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes

Then focused them on me,

And said, “For my deliverance, 

I do grant these wishes, three.”

So that is how I came upon

This Dream Control Device

For I was certain such a thing

Would fetch a handsome price.

Imagine, no more nightmares,

No more strange nocturnal trips. 

Just wear this Dream Control Device

And you can write the scripts!  

My store is always well-stocked

Though I sell them by the slew

The inventory won’t deplete

(Hey, thanks wish number two!)

It all went very well at first

My bank account exploded.

Alas, it wasn’t long before

Disturbing trends were noted.

It seems the population

In an ever-growing number

Are trading in their real lives

For a fantasy in slumber.

Theaters stand empty

And the garbage, uncollected.

I couldn’t find a doctor 

When my hangnail got infected. 

Now, only for the briefest times

Do people move about.

Mostly when the Sominex

And tryptophan run out. 

Life, the way we knew it 

Is now grinding to a halt.

Abandoned cars and buildings,

And to think, it’s all my fault!

With firefighters fast asleep

As raging fires are burning

It gives me pause to contemplate

The lesson I’m now learning. 

If we could engineer our dreams

To play out as we choose,

The world would quickly fall apart

And crumble as we snooze. 

"I wish I'd never wished this!"

I declare in one loud scream.

My third wish spent, I wake to find

Was all just one bad dream.