Ghosted: A Poem

Summary

"Ghosted: A Poem" is a reflective piece by Melissa Coffey that captures the emotional journey of the poet as she walks down a familiar street, haunted by past memories and the ghosts of her former selves, while grappling with the impossibility of reliving moments and the pain of unrequited connections.

Abstract

The poem "Ghosted" delves into the poet's deep sense of loss and nostalgia as she revisits a street filled with personal history. Each step is heavy with the echoes of her past selves, who seem to occupy the cafes and pavements, engaging in activities that are no longer part of her present. The sky above mirrors her inner turmoil, with the setting sun symbolizing the end of a chapter in her life. The poet's encounter with a younger version of herself accentuates the unchangeable nature of time and the irrevocable loss of youth and opportunity. Despite her attempts to follow in her own footsteps, she finds that the past cannot be replicated, and the ghosts of her former selves are now less defined, worn down by the passage of time and the onset of trauma. The poem, which began during a lockdown, was completed as a response to a National Poetry Month prompt, emphasizing the embodiment of strong emotion and the use of alliteration.

Opinions

The poet expresses a profound sense of melancholy and disconnection from her past, highlighting the emotional impact of change and loss.
The poem suggests that time and circumstances alter not only our external environment but also our internal landscape, making true repetition of past experiences impossible.
There is a palpable sense of regret and longing for the vibrancy and potential that the poet associates with her younger self.
The use of vivid imagery and alliteration in the poem serves to enhance the emotional resonance and artistic craftsmanship of the piece.
The poet's work reflects a personal journey of self-realization and an attempt to come to terms with the transient nature of life and relationships.

Time renders true repetition impossible

I walk this long, straight street, as lavender streaks of evening chase the sunset from the sky, this street I’ve walked again and again, as all the streets nearby

Knowing, without looking now, the fences and foliage of each passing yard, until the street branches into cafes, bars, a laundromat, a butcher; commerce overtakes houses

Tonight, my steps falter; the street, though empty, is crowded a thousand permutations of myself ghost the cafes and the pavements, looking past me from a table, laughing with friends, dancing to jazz in heels, or barefoot to tribal drums, skirts flying; elsewhere, her head on the shoulder of a lover, in a lamplit window, sipping wine

The sky above me, bruising over the golds and ambers of this day, and distant summers, as if my pain has punched upwards, pummelling clouds with fists of disappointment, stained by smears of betrayal, thwarted attempts at beginning anew, again, spread across the horizon, like stagnant clots in the lungs

I struggle to summon breath, to straighten and smile; she brushes past me, a decade younger I call her name, but she walks on, walks on without turning her head, in her haste to taste the night, long waves of wild hair streaked with gold and amber, sway across her shoulders, untamed like her walk

I’ve tried to follow her footsteps, but they lead to different places now; time renders true repetition impossible, these later ghosts crowd upon me too, their outlines less defined, worn from early intimations of trauma

With steps heavier than hers, I disappear into another night, bringing nothing new, wondering would she recognize her future in my eyes; as the last light bleeds from the sky

This poem, begun in the dark heart of a seven-month lockdown in Melbourne last year, found its end through the April 7 National Poetry Month prompt — “write a poem that embodies a very strong emotion”. Additionally, this poem (as many of my poems do) embraces the poetic device of alliteration for the prompt of April 8.

All daily poetry prompts for April can be found here:

More of my Poetry:

Ghosted: A Poem

Time renders true repetition impossible

A Month Long Writing Challenge

For NatPoWriMo: The POM hosts a writing challenge for National Poetry Month

Hymn to Imminent Enlightenment

On the journey of self-realization — a poem