caveat: storm song

i awoke from a dream at 445 am.

im with a large group of people from all different parts of my life. we are driving aimlessly around new jersey. michelle and jeffrey and i used to do that. we are a large group, so there are several vehicles.

everyone is comparing musical compositions. its like surfing music on youtube. people keep looking, all of us, over and over, at the sky. a storm is coming. but some of the music is haunting. we drive to a place that is like back in time. one of my students says cryptically that it is as he suspected.

a tall, elegant dark haired woman is sitting in a 1930s era car, reading a book. she doesnt notice us. there is a meadow and a tiny stream and a picnic blanket but shes sitting in the car alone. i walk over.

when i reach the car the woman has disappeared like a ghost. my friend curt points to the sky. the storm, he says. but the music im hearing is too beautiful. i lie down on the ground in the shade beside the old car, listening to music i can neither recognize nor forget nor even describe.

i see my friend bob standing nearby. why is everyone looking at the sky? i ask. he says, the storm. who is making that song? i ask. he says, i thought that was yours.

i woke up choked up, like about to cry. after about ten minutes beginning to write this down, the nurse came in saying ah already awake in half english half korean. doing blood pressure check etc. the morning nurse is very cheerful.