The Phantasms That Could Have Been

A Poem for the Day After Halloween

Photo by Ehud Neuhaus on Unsplash

We were told to fear ghosts.
To not look under the bed
and face the darkness
within.

So we walked through life,
pretending to be good
instead of daring to be
real
and we missed the phantasms
we could have been.

As soon as you crossed the street
after seeing some shadowy character
who reminded you
of your own monstrosity—
choosing instead to keep more pleasant company—
you became a ghost

One who haunts the world
in the worst way possible:
with skin
and blood
and musculature,
a being wearing the mask of
human.

You you gave up the fight
to be what you are.
And, I suppose,
So did I.