I dream of your phantom at night,
spectres with empty promises
that tempt me all the same
and im reunited with my childhood daze.

I give in to the visceral wanting,
to your sweet shadowy haunting.
I am reminded of what I feel still,
old skeletons in the closet.

Cobwebs try to blur your memory,
but no matter how many times I attempt to banish these old demons,
I am still left with the ghost of you wandering my mind.

Skeletons in the closet,
Voices in your head.
Cobwebs in the corners,
Monsters under the bed.

Ghosts from the past,
Shadows on the floor.
If I face mine,
Will you face yours?

Please don’t go slow
Because then I’ll wonder if we’re going forward or you’re letting go
If you love me
Then let me know
I’ll never let you go
So let’s speed up
We’ll go fast
And forget about that tragic past
Don’t speak of him
Like you love him too
Because if it’s true
Then there’s nothing I can do
I love you with everything that I’ve got
And in my heart you’ll always have a soft spot
So break me until you’re satisfied
Just be there at the end of the ride
I can go through anything for you
Just make sure you won’t do it for him too
I know I’m nothing special
I know I’m not what you wanted
But I’ll love you more than anyone
So don’t leave my memories haunted
So tell me you love me and we’ll never be apart
So here, you can have my hopeless broken heart

the Brickhouse is where you'll find them
it was here long before the school
it is where Jane lived
and where she died tragically
poor Jane
locked in the attic like a dangerous animal
and her only crime was that her mind slipped
so the story goes

and find them I did
I could not hear or see them until I viewed
what I had on film
there I found them dancing about
up and down the stairs like children playing
I made my way to the attic door
but could not go in
the weight of sadness filled the air like dense fog
I knew Jane was here

on film I hear their voices
distant...
sometimes it is children laughing
sometimes they mock me
''He knows Persley'' a gentleman sarcastically states
after my reciting the first line of
'Roses are Red'
at least one did not appreciate my being there
"Get Out" she demanded
and then the sad voice pleading as if lost in the wood
"I Hear You" she cried
"I Hear You"
is it Jane?
I will return
to hopefully gain trust in those that reside here
for I must know
more

I sit back and listen.
I am in the forest, sitting in the grass.
Surrounded by mountains, the sun kisses me.
The flowers bloom.

I open my eyes.
I am not where I thought, sitting in a room.
Waiting for myself to bloom.
Into what I was before.

Can I go back?
Just for a little bit?
I ask myself, if I really want to.
I realize that there are better things in store.

If I can just hold on for a little longer.

My memories were those
I had yet to live,
My soul imprisoned
In the depths
Between life and death 
...
But in the nothingness
I found everything
I found hope,
And everything I ever craved
...
I found love-
Enough love
To finally break through
The cracks of reality
I had first called my life
...
And yet
I live and breath so deeply
Sometimes I swallow the nothingness
I so desperately try to hide

For I am haunted
By the things I've forgotten
And forgotten
By ones I'm haunted by
...
Just to be blown to dust
Once more into the nothingness
Like a fugitive
Running away from time

he goes to work and sees too many things
for a man who's barely 43
people in plastic wrap
and suitcases
bags and boxes
wash up on the edge of the Mississippi
sanguinary flowers bloom from temples and chests
needles and pill bottles
scattered on floors of broken homes
victims and families
go through so much more
but that nagging worry still pierces my chest
that one day it will become too much
for that man who's barely 43
that it will hollow him out
and that he will be haunted

The house was haunted
The family fled
They couldn't find the priest
So they got me instead.

I read aloud my poems
Full of sorrow and pain,
About dreary things
And nearly going insane.

"My Gawd", the ghosts cried
" This is fierce gloomy stuff,
I thought we were bad
But this, Enough! Enough! "

Well they wailed and they shrieked
And they wailed some more
Then holding their ears
They ran out the door.

Even ghosts they desert me I thought
After they'd gone
They'd never even heard of a sorrow
   so deep
Or a pain as sharp as mine.

I sat there all alone in the silent house
With not a whisper, no! not a mouse
When all of a sudden there came
   something strange
A little sound like that of slow trickling
   water.

"Have you something to say to me
   House", I asked
"Before I up and leave you forever",
The little sound, it stopped all at once
   and looked up
As if very surprised at having been
   discovered.

I rose to leave
But quickly turned back amazed
When from down & out of the
   chimney
Crept this little voice so slight & warm
   & tender.

" Forgive me Sir", it said,
"But I could contain myself no longer,
That little sound you hear, the tiny
   trickle
Is but the teardrops from my eyes
   dripping

Such a pain and sorrow as yours
I never heard before
Those anguish drenched words
They seeped through my walls right
   into my heart

They pierced me deeply,
Yea, they pretty near tore me apart,
I'll remember you Sir when you're
   gone
I don't think I could ever forget you".

I listened and was sorely moved
"Thank you House ", I said, "thank
    you, thank you kindly"
And turning again at the front door
"Goodbye House, look after those
   who'll live here, won't you".

Outside the birds, they were singing
And up in the sky, the sun
The sun, it was shining.