Today the challenge was to write a poem in the style of Kay Ryan, whose poems tend to be short and snappy – with a lot of rhyme and soundplay. They also have a deceptive simplicity about them, like proverbs or aphorisms.

Once you’ve read a few, you’ll see what the poetry task was all about. You can read them here: “Token Loss,” “Blue China Doorknob,” “Houdini,” and “Crustacean Island.”

I’m not sure if I accomplished it, but here is my poem for today.

Happy reading!

Ghosts in Late Summer

Words hung 
softly, but still
too loud
for a dead 
thing. All that
remained of summer 
seemed spent, so
I ran straight 
away into 
the chill
of autumn
nipping. Never mind 
the plotted hours
of living where 
we found 
stolen strength 
to see past
what was 
in front of
our eyes. When
I heard 
your last 
whisper through 
the wall, I 
wasn’t ready
to face winter 
alone. I felt 
lost, for we
loved deeply
and without 
many words. Imagine
then my surprise
at the loud 
voice of 
your ghost.

 —cjpjordan