I bring this poem from the superfuture,
transmuted from its original form as an
ocular-safe laser blasted into your retinas
for instantaneous consumption and immediate impact.

i remember when dreams were in color.

Invented in the year 3000, photonic metaphor was
hailed as the greatest literary invention since the printing press by both AGI and human literary scholars alike. The headlines read, “Let there be light: A revolution in artistic expression!” while everyone tried to sleep.

i remember when dreams belonged to the dreamer.

Also invented in the year 3000 was a method to connect to people’s dreams through a voluntary process called the Oneiric Enhancement Experience. Similar to but less sophisticated than the photonic metaphor, photonic contracts are transmitted through individual mobile device displays in a process that involves users lifting their device cameras to eye-level after scrolling to the bottom of the Terms and Conditions and holding it until a bright flash of light shoots into their eyes.

i remember when dreams were beyond language.

One out of every one hundred thousand
users who agree to the Terms and Conditions
suffers a substantial temporary and/or permanent
blindness as a result of signing the photonic contract.
However, customer surveys indicate that 99.8% of users are extremely satisfied with the Oneiric Enhancement Experience even if they suffered any amount of blindness when signing up for the process.

i remember when dreams held your secrets.

However, it was soon discovered that one
couldn’t undergo both photonic metaphor
and the Oneiric Enhancement Experience.
Many people died horrible deaths in their sleep.
Only one person is known to have survived and
they described the experience “as if your dream is
alive, as if it’s some entity altogether apart from you
and it’s only goal is to completely devour you.”

i remember when dreams were without time.

There were some that decried the photonic
metaphor in the first decade or so of its inception.
They lamented that it would result in
the absolute death of poetic language.
“Death to the light!” they shouted.
“Light can’t replace language!” they proclaimed.

i remember when dreams lingered.

Eventually, light did replace language.
It didn’t take long for even the staunchest
naysayers to discover how powerful
and effective the transmission of poetry in light was.
“Better than an orgasm,” some said.
“I prefer this to sex,” more said.

i remember when dreams were hope.

People marvelled at the simplicity.
Instructions read: Place the device on your head
and buckle the strap securely under your chin.
Allow your body to relax into the seat or
bed of your choice as you take deep breaths
and clear your mind of any unnecessary clutter
such as temporary thoughts, emotions, and desires.
As you hold your linked mobile device in your hand
and prepare to push the flash button, we also
recommend briefly forgetting the past and future.
With eyes wide open, begin a countdown from 3.
On the count of 1, press the flash button and enjoy!

3…2…1…

do you remember dreams?