Picasso Dreams

Faun, Horse, and Bird, 1936
Pablo Picasso

They came to me in a dream last night-

a horse, a bird, and a faun

There soon commenced an awful fight

that lasted until dawn

The horse accused the bird of theft

He cried, "You took my feathers!

And now I cannot lift my heft;

my hooves to ground are tethered!"

The bird replied, "Well, look at me!

I was the king of kings!

I used to have fierce claws, you see

not just two fragile wings!"

The faun then sighed, "I've had enough!

This fighting is absurd!

So you believe you've got it rough,

friend Horse and Mister Bird?

You used to be a Pegasus

and you a Gryphon strong?

I think you have it better now;

your attitude is wrong."

The horse then said derisively,

"What do you know of me?"

The bird next spoke decisively,

"With horse I must agree!"

 The faun said, "Think about your state

You each have but one soul

A horse or bird may be your fate,

but each of you is whole.

I do not know just who I am

I always feel amiss

When half a goat and half a man,

I'm that and then I'm this."

The horse and bird considered what

 the faun had just confessed

"We've been such fools complaining but

we now know we are blessed."

As I awoke from dreamy sleep,

I thought of what I'd heard

I learned a truth that I would keep

from a faun, a horse, and a bird.

submitted for The Mag, Mag160