I Had a Dream

I had a dream that would not fade
Such that I was sore afraid
For the vision stayed in my head
Oft to trouble me as I laid in bed

Therefore, I made a decree
"Bring all the wise men unto me!"
That I might receive an interpretation
And attempts were given at explanation

Magicians, astrologers
Chaldeans and soothsayers
With each being ineffectual
Until I came to one... Daniel

I gave him the name Belteshezzar
For I knew in Him the Spirit of God was not far
And I told him of the visions in my head
Hear my words and discover what he said...

I saw a tree in the midst of the earth
It had a trunk of enormous girth
The height thereof was the greatest given
Ever reaching broad and out to heaven

The leaves thereof were so fair
And meaty fruit was plentiful everywhere
The beasts of the field lay in the shadows below
While the fowls of the sky nest and sing "hello"

I saw a watcher- one who was holy
Descend from the heaven to then give a loud cry
"Hew down the tree and cut off the limbs
Shake off the leaves, fruits, and blossoms"

"Scatter the birds with one great sway
And cause the beasts to go along their way
Nevertheless leave the stump and roots
That I might someday resume his fruits"

"Give him a band of iron and brass
To encircle along the tender green grass
There, let stay the heavenly dew
That the beasts of the earth might still come and chew"

"Let his heart be changed from a man's to a creature
Until 7 times pass over him to then mature
That the living may know who ruleth on high
And the powers of heaven not be denied"

"For He giveth to whomsoever He will
And setteth up over the basest of men still..."
This is all that I remember to have seen
I the king Nebuchadnezzar of my dream

Then Daniel was astonished for one hour
And his thoughts troubled him to cower
My Lord, the dream be to them that hate thee
And the interpretation thereof to thine enemies

The tree that thou sawest which grew and grew
To reach out to heaven and all the earth knew
It is thou, O king, thou art grown and become strong
But, the watcher is coming and it won't be long

This is a dream of things in foretelling
Thy enemies shall drive thee from men and thy dwelling
They shall make thee to eat grass as an oxen
And they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven

All... till thou knows that the most High ruleth
And whatsoever to man He desireth He giveth
Then... thy kingdom shall again be sure to thee
As soon as thou turneth away from iniquity

From the stump will grow yet a new kingdom
Based upon righteousness and God's wisdom
So begin now and give mercy to the poor
That there might be tranquility from this point more...

Well, what happened next... I was surely mad
For I doubted the fall of the Babylon I had
And sure as the dream I took to the grass
Until all he spoke of came to pass

Then one day with my hairs like eagles' feathers
I came to my senses... at the end of 7 weathers
I lifted my eyes towards the vast bright heavens
And, unto praise of God, I was given... and extolled Him

Daniel 4