The Ghost of Him

I.

Clara’s house is much too big.

It’s not the same since Jimmy’s gone.

Still Clara knows life must go on.

She leaves his picture in the living room

His clothes are in the closet still

She’ll give them away someday, she will, later on.

Still the memories hurt too much

She can almost feel his touch

Clara’s house is much too much the same.

She sees The Ghost Of Him

It’s his tread on the cellar stairs

It’s that leak that he repairs each time it rains.

There’s still the Ghost Of Him

And she draws her breath down deep

As she cries herself to sleep regularly

This is stronger than she thought she’d have to be.

II.

Clara’s house is quiet now

Not like twenty years ago

When the children tried their patience so.

Still, the house was full of love,

So why does she think love has gone?

Just because Jimmy has moved on.

Still the memories hurt too much

She can almost feel his touch

Clara’s house is much too much the same.

She sees the Ghost Of Him

Is he coming up the drive?

Oh, my God, he’s still alive! Can that be?

No, it’s the Ghost Of Him.

Like his shadow on the bed

Where the pillow held his head so recently.

This is stronger than she thought she’d have to be.

III.

Clara talks to God a lot

Reaching for a higher power

Sometimes Clara talks with God for hours.

She says, “Dear God, what happens now?

And what am I supposed to do?

Do I pretend it’s easy to go on?

Lord, the memories hurt so much

I can almost feel his touch

Everything is much too much the same

“I feel the Ghost of Him

It’s that extra kitchen chair

It’s that perfume that I wear. It drove him mad.

There’s still The Ghost Of Him.

He’s all over this damn house.

It’s the spirit of my spouse here with me.

This is stronger than a person should have to be.”