My neighbor’s ghosts are hanging around, over the sidewalk. On my early morning walk, I pass through them like passing through a curtain. The wind pulls them toward me, and I admit a little uneasiness. I saw Melissa in the store yesterday, and she grinned when she talked about them. She said, “I love my ghosts!”
Halloween is around the corner, literally. Follow the ghostly muse to write a small poem today. Post in the comments. Encourage other writers with your response. I wanted to try a cinquain (pronounced “sink-cane”). Syllable count of 2,4,6,8,2. There are other variations you can try. Here is a guide to the form.
Morning Walk in October
Ghostly
Margaret Simon, draft
shapes in the wind.
Shivers ripple my skin.
I step lightly through the curtain
of gauze.
Reflections on the Teche 
Ghosts hang
from southern trees.
Halloween ghosts to some,
yet also specters haunting our
grim past
Yes, Mary Lee, that last line is the scariest of all.
Love “specters” – unique!
Your last line is so powerful and quickly turns the mood Halloween celebrating to grimmness. It hits hard with truth.
I was unfamiliar with the word specter, and here it shows up in two poems. I love learning something new.
Me too!
Margaret, I like how you go from fright to acknowledgement of the ordinary. I used to teach this form, but haven’t written a cinquain for a long time. Here goes.
Eerie
hanging specters
waver in the wind.
Are they reaching out or merely
laundry?
Jane Heitman Healy, draft
again, I love the use of the word “specters” and your ending question begs curiosity.
Laundry made me chuckle.
Your last line…for the win!
Your last line brought forth a chuckle.
I love that last line as well–certainly took an unexpected turn!
Thank you all for your comments. Glad I could give you a chuckle. 🙂 Re: “specters”: I think I first encountered this word in classic British lit, spelled the British way, “spectres”
I especially like the enjambment in your poem, Margaret.
Spirits
hanging lowly
slowly nod in the breeze,
beckon visitors to enter.
Dare you!
Love the rhyme of slowly and lowly. That end is just right.
What Margaret said!
Like the invitation to the reader with the last line-dare you!
Love the rhyme and the challenge of the last line, Rose!
Hello! Thanks for this ghostly photo, Margaret. I like your poem, skin ripples and all. Mary Lee: I didn’t think of it until you made mention, now I’m shaking my head. Jane: I love “laundry!” Hah!
Why are
Ghosts hanging here
Right where I walk each day?
Please hear me now, Wind! Take them all
Away!
— Karen E, draft
I like the appeal to Wind!
Thanks, Karen. I like your appeal to the wind to act as rescuer.
Our neighbors have been putting up decorations. Only we don’t have sidewalks. What fun to step through that curtain of gauze.
I am trying to write a haunted haiku a day, so I went with that form today.
come little children
a haunting we will go on
the merry-ghost-round
Love “the merry-ghost- round”. Very creative!
Such clever word play, Leigh Anne!
Here is my cinquain:
Gathered
in a circle,
whispering on the wind
eerie apparitions reveal
grave truths.
Love the word play of grace truths.
Spooky! Love the “grave truths” double meaning.
Oh, I enjoyed reading all the cinquain and a haiku today, a day late. From powerful last lines–like “grim past” to playful “laundry?” I want to explore the “merry-ghost-round.”