Every town is haunted
Every city
Every home
There is a ghost caught in every breath

In my house there is the ghost of a woman
Who used to cook in the fireplace after the electricity died
And the social security stopped

She fell in love with the ghost of a cloud
Who is waiting for the breeze to stop long enough
To finally enjoy the heat of the sun
As it pierces rays through it
To the ghosts still here on earth

If we did not turn to dust
We would be walking on layers of bone
We would swim in oceans of ivory
Rolling in the breeze
Sounding like hollow clatter

Gives me chills like disembodied teeth chatter
Oh no
That’s just me
Fitting into my shiver

In my mind there is the ghost of a boy
Who has the ghosts of his teeth
Buried under silver caps
He did not know what bling is
He just didn’t want his smile to feel missing

He did not know what it means to be ugly
And I wear the ghost of his smile

There are ghosts in the souls of our feet
That bind our shadows to our heels
To remind us that we are still alive

All things die
And die again
There are ghosts of ghosts
Finding their place
The way my breath makes peace with the wind

There is the ghost of peace
Practiced in the shaking of hands
Practiced in the lip quiver of a sigh
Fighting back tears of a victory

And there will one day be the ghost of myself
Haunting the house that I died in
Practiced in the patience
Learned from forever