Living with Ghosts

(title borrowed from Patty Griffin)

I'm tired of writing poems
about you, thinking about
you, lamenting over the
loss of you and missing
you. I'm tired of dreaming
about you, being hurt by
you, grieving over you,
and looking around at
every public place I go
for you. I realize that I
can't stop pain, attraction
or memories, but I can try
to stop dwelling on you.
I have decided to let you
go.

© 2006 Amy E. Hall

Realization

I dreamt about you
again last night. I
wonder: How is it
possible to hurt and
miss someone so
deeply, after having
no contact for a year
and a half? It must
have been love. As
long as I have such
strong feelings, there's
no way that we can
be friends.

© 2006 Amy E. Hall

Sisters

especially for Aimee on her birthday

Some sisters come in the
form of blood relation --
children from the same
mother and father. Other
sisters come via marriage --
the wives of siblings. Still
others come through the
blessed family of God in
Christ. Every sister is a
gift of camaraderie, comfort
and compassion, one to
cheer, one to cherish.

© 2006 Amy E. Hall

Heartache and Hindsight

I wish I would have met you
at this point in my life, instead
of three years ago. Maybe now
I wouldn't ruin our chances
with my unhealthy tendencies
and maybe I wouldn't indulge
yours. I don't know if I'll ever
get the chance to begin again
with you. Some days there's
nothing more I can think of
and other days I am grateful
for the distance between us.
On all days, though, I regret
the hurt that we've caused
each other and wish I could
erase the poor decisions I
made that left us both
desolate and devastated.

© 2006 Amy E. Hall

The Music that You Never Hear

Whenever I hear beautiful
music, I think of you. Many
of those moments, I think
about how much you
would enjoy the melodies
and I picture us listening
to those songs together
in a concert hall or on a
road trip in the car. I
doubt that I will ever be
given the chance to relish
music with you again.
Part of me is grateful and
part of me still grieves.

© 2006 Amy E. Hall