Last night there was a ghost on the stair Early this morning still it was there Its ghostly eyes bore into my heart How I wish it would just depart Then I looked at those ghostly features Of this deranged demented creature And there was the hint of recognition In both myself and the apparition The ghost was me and I was it And on the step I was forced to sit. It opened its mouth as if to speak And put out its hand as if to reach But I pulled back in terror At such an unknown horror Then it spoke and my blood froze At the trade it now proposed “I am the ghost of dreams you’ve lost A collection of those hopes you’ve tossed But I can offer you here today That life before Fate had her play You will have every hope come true Ever dream and aspiration too And all you need to achieve this aim Is to touch my hand and start again This dull life you live will never be When you touch my hand and become me!†Trembling I reached to touch its hand As triumphantly it began to stand Then I heard my baby’s cry And my wife’s contented sleeping sigh I move away in mortal disgust That I could so abuse their trust So I turned and stepped back up the stair And the phantom faded into the forgiving air. 29/05/09