Nightmares - Josh Ritter

I know where the nightmares sleep

On what fodder do they feed

For two long weeks I stayed awake

Until I saw one cross your face

I knew that you had been untrue

I didn’t know how but I knew

The who you spoke to in your dreams

Was never how you spoke to me

I know where the nightmares sleep

On what fodder do they feed

I followed them back down to hell

And I spent some time down there myself.

Nightmares have their dreams, as well.

And when they sleep they go to hell

And they drink their fill on lakes of blood

Canter 'cross the skull-paved

And nurse their little colts on flies

Their coltish teeth like kitchen knives

And look down from abysmal cliffs

Their dead hair by the lead wind riffed

On denizens too deep to see

Whose own dreams nightmares' nightmares be.

I know where the nightmares sleep

On what fodder do they feed

I’d been awake so long by then

They thought that I was one of them.

Nightmares cannot be ribcaged

Midnight’s just a steeplechase

Down silver needles half will go

And pin your navel to your soul

The other half will go instead

A’gallop 'cross the kicked-up bed

And find the one who’s sleeping sound

And drag him down, oh drag him down

Drag him down, oh drag him down

Drag him down, oh drag him down

Drag him down, oh drag him down

Drag him down where I got took

And through he may not want to look

I’ll sift hell for an equal pain.

Shard-born beetles boiling rain

I’ll prop his eyes and down them feed

The same hell you both fed to me.

I know where the nightmares sleep

On what fodder do they feed

I followed them back down to hell

And I spent some time down there myself.

I know where the nightmares sleep

I know where the nightmares sleep

I know where the nightmares sleep

I know where the nightmares sleep

I know where the nightmares sleep…