Part XVII and Guest Poet 12 - Tina Ford - Ghost Poem

(Part 17 is a step forward in time between our two main characters.

Our latest guest poet is Tina Ford who i know from Write Out Loud
and of which i am made up she has got in touch to submit the excellent
enclosed guest poem. More of her work can be read here)

XVII

Streaming with sweat

In encompassed pauses

I couldn’t speak

For several minutes after

‘That it?’

I eventually coughed out

Strung out

Across empty offices

With phones ringing

Off the hook

‘No’ She said

‘This is only the beginning’

Acutely timed

Freelancing in the breeze. 

Tina Ford – Ghost Poem

In this waiting room I wait,

Morning papers read,

Useless conversations had,

Talking with undead,

They treat me as a living soul,

And that I do not mind,

I've lingered here for decades now,

My life was so unkind,

They do not seem to bother,

At my dirty clothes and hair

My blood stains all but disappeared,

Along with locks so fair,

Once a lady asked me,

Do you live round here,

I answered her quite boldly,

Of course I do just there,

I pointed out the waiting room,

Onto the tracks outside,

She looked at me disgusted like,

And laughed, as though I'd lied,

But this is where I wandered,

As I waited for my love,

He couldn't catch me quick enough,

That night I took a shove,

A shove into the coming train,

I would never out race,

My life was gone in an instant,

But I never saw their face,

But all of this i did not mind,

As i waited for my groom,

I knew it wouldn't be long now,

We would be leaving here quite soon,

He went to fetch my bridal bow,

The wind had blew it high,

I saw my friend Elizabeth,

She came to say goodbye,

But Elizabeth looked sorrowful,

Her tears rolled down her face,

Walking quite a march was she,

There was no need to race,

I remember calling Tommy,

Before I hit the track,

And seeing poor Elizabeth,

Pulling and holding him back,

The train had passed so quickly,

And when I looked to see,

There on the bank was my bridal bow,

No sight of Elizabeth or Tommy,

And so i wait and wait some more,

For he's bound to show quite soon,

Then we can take the track together,

On our long awaited honeymoon.