Kind of a ghost poem for late October

[R.A. Stewart]

This is from another forum that has a writers' section. Among the ongoing topics is one called "Ten Word Exercise"--a moderator posts a list of ten words and the challenge is to write something using them all, in any form. I find it an invaluable way to get things started. The list this time was "bathe, fantastic, ghost, spooky, coffee, hazelnut, joy, living, climb, Mount St. Helens."



When I was a broke fantastic ghost
Swaying and stumbling through the fantastic streets of the sixties, spewing
daft poetry and gnomic utterances like a bearded Mount St. Helens
and all was joyous with patchouli and hazelnuts
and black chicory coffee in the leaning mountains of dawn--
ah little did I guess how long and costly the living,
how heavy the climb.
All the baths of glory,
bright spooks of illumination,
gone.
Ah ghosts! Where are you?
Can you visit us again,
reach through again this gritty veil,
bathe me again in the old pungent smoke and breath, red wine,
water of life--
It's gone sad and spooky here--
let me step through,
and be a ghost again.

[Paddler]

Reminds me of the song "Borderlands" by Caswell and Carnahan.

[R.A. Stewart]

I didn't know about that song, or Caswell and Carnahan either. Listening to it now. Thanks!

[Marsilius]

Nice. I don't know if adding "patchouli" the list list was cheating or not, but it adds a nice touch, and a little nostalgia.