Ghost of a Chance

She is lying up there on the wall
Head tilted right
Soft rose petal shoulders
A slight glimpse of peach from her left breast
Uncovered
Her auburn hair cascading down her pillow
Toward the frame

Through all the years
Sitting beside her
I’ve noticed her nearly
Not at all
Now she’s an enchanting intimation
Of the real life beauty
That she brings to mind

Along the edge of her bed
You can catch reflections of other life too
Still going on outside
Oblivious to the magical woman
In the light
By the window
On the wall

Cars on Columbus
And a tiny strip of sign
From City Lights Books
Where The Little Shoe People
Will live forever
Even after they are painted over
Making way for someone new

And I am there as well
A pale reflection watching
From inside and out
An impressionist representation
Of how I feel now
Fading into background
At the edge of the story

Out of the action of the play
A shadow of memory
Quickly disappearing
Into The light
A hopeful spectre
Without a
Ghost of a chance