A College of Ghosts

How many ghosts sit by the fire?

More than were players of the lyre –

A ghost for every rhyme & song,

Ghost linger where no ghost belong.

Ghost neglected,

Ghost unclean –

Ghost by all but ghost unseen.

Sleep abed with ghost at rest,

Ghost in timbers of the chest.

Ghost reach out & touch the shell,

Ghost draw sweat & lather fell.

Ghost move pen & brush & scale,

Ghost make pick at fingernails.

Ghost bid drink & curse & chew,

Ghost stir an unwholesome stew.

Ghost in bottom of a can,

Ghost in endings, ampersands.

Ghost with rosacea cheeks,

Ghost flinch when a stranger speaks.

Ghost in teeth & tongue & jaw,

Ghost bid dreaming mouth to yaw.

Ghost a fisher, hunter skilled,

Ghost not eat the things it killed.

Ghost of M.R, Poe & James,

Ghost corrupting nursery games.

Ghost miss x while x away

Ghost will bide another day.