While You Sleep (a Rondo)

While you sleep
A thousand different couples fall in love.
A young man begs "a shrine of hers to keep,"
A lock of hair, perhaps a scented glove.
She smiles, complies and sighs, but soon she'll weep,
While you sleep.

While you sleep
A thousand sordid rendezvous take place.
A wife slips out of bed to lightly creep
A few doors down.  To her shame and disgrace
She finds her love's made vows that he won't keep,
While you sleep.

While you sleep
A frightening cataclysm is unleashed.
A earthquake's shaking terror.  Death will reap
A bumper crop tonight.  The screams soon ceased.
Man's God has slaughtered men as man does sheep,
While you sleep.

While you sleep
A soul ascends her way to heaven.  Soon
A blind, indifferent God will end her sleep.
A callous slap.  A harp that's out of tune;
She starts, awakes, observes.  Proceeds to weep,
While you sleep.

Won't you sleep.
Please.
Only in our dreams
Is disillusionment a stranger.