In my dream he was

alive again, but only sporadically
(or so it seemed),
resurrected spontaneously
and randomly, popping up alive
at unexpected moments
and then vanishing once more.
We were seated in a restaurant
(cafe? bar? Who knows?)
He looked better than I had ever
seen him in life.
He was happy, relaxed, at peace,
smiling warmly all the while.
I asked, "Does your family know
you're here?"
I wanted them to know the good news
that he was back with them, however
unpredictably, so that his
sudden appearances,
like those of the ghost at Elsinore,
didn't surprise them too greatly.
Later, awake and immersed
in the daylight,
I remembered the odd vision,
and hoped
(even though I know better)
that it had not been just mere
random nonsense tumbling
through the weird landscape
of night time,
but rather that it had been
(perhaps)
a particularly long-distance
call.