5

when we finally got a place to stay

its best view was a graveyard

each morning we could take a peek

at our anxiety buried

so close to our window

ten more steps at night or by dawn

we could have been rubbing shoulders

with ghosts

but ghosts have no interest

with a destitute there is nothing to gain or lose

better to stay silent least this destitute ask us for food

i could hear them whisper

except this one time

a ghost was really hungry like us

because we gave him thought

he showed up in our dream

just sitting there playing dead

he lingered for a bit

then never returned after that night

one has to wonder what kind

of hunger would make a dead thing

back out forever;

madness, cynicism,

indifference of soul,

what a waste of one's misfortune

to be seen like that after death.