The Ghost of Time

The Ghost of Time

The ghost of time waits in the corners

its eyes hidden in shadow

it moves through walls

and leaves cold footprints on the floor

It listens to the heartbeats we try to hide

it counts the seconds we pretend do not exist

it remembers every door we left open

every word we swallowed

Sometimes it laughs without sound

sometimes it cries in silence

it folds around the edges of night

and follows the shapes we thought were empty

We cannot chase it

we cannot bargain

it bends the hours

and drags the past behind us

like chains we cannot see

The ghost of time does not knock

it does not ask permission

it only waits

and when we turn to look

we find it already there

smiling with no face