Midwest Mary

Playing with the Dead

The game she played was child’s folly
before she understood
consequences of her actions
or potential dangers.

She’d brush her hair smooth and shiny
and look in the mirror
where the spirits stood behind her
quietly always there.

She didn’t know who they might be.
Perhaps family, friends
who passed from this life to the next
and now watched over her.

One bad day she wanted to leave,
go somewhere else but home.
She switched places with one spirit.
She went there. It went here.

What the spirit did in her place,
she didn’t know or care.
She had no worries over there.
Nothing to do or say.

She traveled back and forth at will.
a fun little secret.
stepping back when life would get tough.
Returning after rest.

All was fine until she got scared
and forgot where she was.  
Was she with the living or dead?
She didn’t want to die.

She found her footing on this side,
and never left again.
But she does look back and wonder
if it was just a dream.

*

Thank you to Kevin at The Beginning at Last for the use of his image.

©2024, Mary K. Doyle