Two Ghosts Making Love

Dec. 13, 2012

Two Ghosts Making Love

The other night on the train,
     Wednesday night, I think it was,
I walked in on two ghosts
     Making love on the rails.

At first,
     I thought the car was mine,
          Vacant save for the wind
                Leaking in beneath the doors,
But,
     As the empty car rolled on,
The wind turned into moans!
Stray papers suddenly leapt up
     In exquisite patterns,
Whirling sensually through the air!
Phantom palm prints
     Pressed against the windows,
My cheek was brushed
     By a warm breath,
My leg was squeezed
     In someone's fit of ecstasy!

I clutched my bag in fear,
     But all the laughs of lovers past
Quickly picked me up
     And set me dancing
          (All out of my control!)
'Til I found myself
     Wrapped in unseen passions!
My face was caressed,
     My forehead kissed,
Then,
     At the hissing of the Quincy stop,
The doors slid open,
     And I was dropped into my seat
          While passengers shuffled on
               In fits and coughs.

Recovering,
     My hat in hand,
          My book bag safely on my lap,
I glanced at the two empty seats on either side of me.
On each was carved
     A teenage initial,
          Wrapped in hearts and smiles,
     The letters old as dirt,
          The ink still fresh.