![a transparent figure of a ghost and cat](https://ume-nori.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/boo-1-e1624630452138.png)
illustration by ume-nori
Sheila Charles GHOSTS
I visited a friend last week.
I had not seen her for a while.
We had a lot of catching up to do.
Her sense of humour made me smile.
We have a lot in common –
You’ll find teachers often do.
We are never short of things to say.
We both taught in England too.
Then, unexpectedly, she asked me
About a ghost I’d seen years before.
I was in bed, reading the Bible
When I saw ‘HIM’ at the door!
When he saw ME, he said ‘Sorry.’
I was quite surprised to see HIM there.
After I said, ‘It’s quite alright,’
He turned and went. God knows where!
My friend started to question me.
She wanted to know EVERY detail.
That is when I realised
That it seemed an unlikely tale.
You see, he looked like a human being
Only not quite as solid. I know!
There was no word in my vocabulary
To accurately describe old Joe.
‘How d’you know it WAS a ghost?’ she asked.
‘It MUST have been a ghost,’ I said.
‘Because I knew the man in question
And I knew he was definitely DEAD.’
As soon as I returned home,
Google came to my aid again.
I typed in GHOST-DESCRIPTION
I realize that sounds insane!
Here are two words they suggested-
Translucent, opaque-but still-
Neither of the words they quoted
Quite fitted the bill!
(I give up, ‘cos finding the right word
Is starting to make me feel ill!)