Bob Tilton Ghost
A healing gaze distracted,
a clown face blurred in water.
You ride your wave well
(you losing definition).
A healing gaze distracted,
a down stream smile running red.
ride your wave well
I smeared your face with my blood.
You swore you had tasted this before.
I'm spread so thin my colours bleed to one.
Now I don't stand.
Both feet bled, now I don't stand anymore.
I felt your ghost move within,
take shape and shift beneath the skin
and whisper:
"Black eyes are only a kiss away.
Take up the floorboards to get
closer to the bone and find
how the past will not
play dead anymore."
She reads aloud from letters that were
never thrown away
and paints my house with all the crimson
shades of recollection.
I smeared my face with your blood
and swore I liked the taste.
I brought you to the water's edge
and I held you under.
I'll keep a graveside vigil,
but you're not coming back are you?
