And How Do You Know?

There are those in your mind
That you don’t know have died.
There are ghosts in your thoughts
Who aren’t ghosts, who still live.
That’s how death will haunt you,
That half-life in your mind.

When you know one is gone,
The face is still with you.
The voice is still with you,
Or both twist in your dreams.
When you don’t know, the face
Is in there, still with you

In the same way, and when
You’re wrong, the one you’re wrong
To think of as long gone
Is in there, the same way.
You have to add the tags,
That is, us, as you go—

Who you knew, once you know.
Still lives. Died. Might well live.
Could have died by this time.
If you don’t tag your ghosts,
They won’t stay in their drawers.
A news source might tell you,

He died last year, a friend
Might do the same. A friend
You dreamed of, then woke up
Spooked, looks you up one day.
Ones you know for sure died
Don’t come back to life, no,

But they’re no less real, no
More ghosts than the lost ones
In your skull you don’t know.
Think what thought’s shades would be
Like with no tags, no words
Like us. Who are your ghosts?