I
The phantom waltzes to an upbeat song,
softly, slowly, the fog creeps in,
and the men drown in the haze.

II
Through the clouded windows, it waits--watches
meanwhile, babies cry and their mothers sigh.

III
Names carved into marbled slates,
as the ghost sinks through the walls.

IV
In its silhouette the ghost pirhouettes
singing its siren song
dragging down those who can hear it

V
The bottles are empty,
the time has passed.
Luminous moon guards over the night

VI
The poltergeist cackles,
as the moon can protect no one.
They are infected with mercy.

VII
Fog trails closely behind the figure,
through the broken, battered buildings.

VIII
The city is dead.
The phantom smirks.

IX
The ghost lingers
and passes through the alleyways,
the fog dances after--following in time.

X
Night time passes in silence,
except for the ghost, singing its sad song
and there is--nothing--but death.

copywrite Shanna Howse 2012

so, I studied modernist poems in class, so I used this. My teacher didn't like that I didn't include my symbol in every stanza, so I decided to throw the original up here.

I tiptoed softly as a mouse
into the room where we would lie.
Aglow, the candles lit the house;
their sizzling sighs a lullabye.
The shadows waltzed a mourning song,
in grieving pain you moaned along.

The daunting ache I feel inside,
as painful as a lost goodbye.
I kissed your head but cringed and cried,
so haunted by your sleeping sigh.
Transparent hands caress your skin,
convulsing with regret for sin.

My longing echoes through the halls,
like wailing whispers of the wind.
Your crying paints the weathered walls,
my hollowed body, all but skinned.
Confined by mine own selfish choice,
I wish I'd listened to your voice.

From where I stand and there you sleep,
I cannot cross to hold you close.
You beckon to me as I weep,
restrained by grief; a heavy dose.
But darling, when you heard the knell
you were the heaven in my hell.


copywrite Shanna Howse and Emily Krol, 2012

As if it was more romantic saying goodbye at the beach,
Rather than in the alleyway where we used to meet,
Then we must be mistaken,
For wherever the atmosphere surrounding these words
Doesn’t make it hurt any less.

Granting all the wonderful memories that will never bid farewell,
Felt so much more like a burden than a release,
When will this pain ever cease and disappear?
They will live on in these deserted streets
And float away in the night sky forever.

Those two words seem so plain and tiny
We could’ve wrote a novel to leave this where it ended
Making time tick on and on and on
So that maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t ever need to end,
And we wouldn’t walk away.

It’s messed me up too much
Since you left
And ran far away

Whenever you call
I’ll always answer
To keep you alive in me

I’ll wait by the telephone
And won’t make plans
Just to hear the sound of your voice

Those memories made
In the shortest amount of time
Are scattered and dismissed

I’ve seen everything
The man you’ve become
All the stupid **** you’ve done

Sitting on the curb
Watching you pacing
With a cigarette in hand

At your worst, at your best,
I took you into my heart
Every way you were

And when you return
It’s like I never loved you
Ridiculous how much life changes, huh?

Sing to me softly
All the words of a symphony
Let me sing it back to you
In a perfect harmony.

Laying in the green grass
I can feel my heart race
You put my hand in yours
And pull me into an embrace.

As I walk in the dark
I feel your footsteps beside mine
Even though you’re far away
You step in perfect time.

Give my butterflies a chance
To set themselves free
So they can fly
Surrounding you and me.