36 Comments
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A.C. Cargill, All-Human Author's avatar

Are you there, I ask

Await your voice in the dark

Silence is reply

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Beautifully poignant! 🎃😎🎃

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Carl R Williams's avatar

I feel the longing in this one. Nice.

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Jeannine Lawall's avatar

A ghost of a chance

To know your sweet love again

Please come home to me

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Ahh, "A ghost of a chance"! That's a brilliant phrase. And that's such a powerful message, too. Love is always worth fighting for, even when there's just the tiniest hope of it being rekindled... 🎃😎🎃

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Jeannine Lawall's avatar

Thank you, it's the first thing that popped into my head when I read your prompt. 👻

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Wild Lion*esses Pride by Jay's avatar

The Ghost Drama Triangle

I. The Victim

ghost of vanishing,

I light every room I leave —

still no one sees me.

.

II. The Rescuer

haunted by silence,

I stitch others back to breath —

forget my own name.

.

III. The Persecutor

I command the storm,

tight fists on the phantom’s throat —

it slips through my grasp.

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Three fascinating perspectives! And that's very true, you can feel like a ghost at any time, and sadly, so many people experience that sense of being unseen and unnoticed. Very nicely done... 🎃😎🎃

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Wild Lion*esses Pride by Jay's avatar

Thank you, Chris. I have been listening to @Dan Harris talking with Brené Brown, that was an inspiration.

https://www.danharris.com/p/brene-browns-go-to-strategy-for-managing?utm_medium=ios&open=false

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Carl R Williams's avatar

Ghost

In my wishing well

There lives a sad, lonely ghost.

Will a song cheer him?

Being a Canadian, this one should ring a bell.

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Ahh yes, it's Gordon Lightfoot! 'If You Could Read My Mind'. That's an excellent reference, and a great song! 🎃😎🎃

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Carl R Williams's avatar

If we were playing Jeopardy, Mr. Franklin wins in the category ghost!

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Writer Pilgrim by So Elite's avatar

The curtains moved there

here I thought we were alone

who gives the wind soul?

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Wonderful! I love the idea of each little breeze we encounter being a soul happily floating around, and gently announcing its presence. Very nice... 🎃😎🎃

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Richbee's avatar

it was a gray ghost

He tied to his fishing line

First cast caught wopper.

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Ahh, the fishing lures! Very nice. It also reminds me of a joke. What do fisherman say when they knock on each other's doors at Halloween? "Trick or Trout!" Haha... 🎃😎🎃

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Richbee's avatar

A fisherman lie . How big was it? Minnow stretched to about a yards length.

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Parker McCoy's avatar

Maynard's nightmare tortured him in the barn

The hooded killer had tried to kill him in his sleep but failed

But something warm oozed at the back of his neck

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Very spooky! And the barn is a great setting for some eerie things to happen... 🎃😎🎃

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Kaci Rigney's avatar

family 'round the tree

two brothers, parents--long gone

ghosts of Christmas past.

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Ahh, that is so poignant. Christmas is such a special time, and as important as it is to share it with those who mean the most to us now, it's definitely also important to remember those who aren't here anymore, and make sure they're still included... 🎃😎🎃

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Theresa Greene's avatar

At one time ghosts ruled

My young life in a bookstore

Came out of the shelves!

Thank you, Chris!

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Theresa Greene's avatar

Thank you , Carl !

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Theresa Greene's avatar

Thank you , CND Stuff !

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Theresa Greene's avatar

Thank you , Bill !

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Theresa Greene's avatar

Thank youb, Jeannine !

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Jeannine Lawall's avatar

Mice are sneaky little ghosts. 🐀

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

Haha! They are very sneaky, for sure. And also incredibly flexible and agile. They're like mini ninjas! 🎃🐭😎🐭🎃

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David Perlmutter's avatar

Thank you for the shoutout.

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

You're very welcome! Have a great week... 🎃😎🎃

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Carolyn Jones's avatar

Echoes linger still;

Spectres hum through hollow halls,

Silence speaks my name.

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Frederick Fullerton's avatar

If there were a ghost

for what purpose would it haunt

lost love or revenge

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CND's Stuff's avatar

A soft whisper stirs

The curtains gently this night

Come to me, my love

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Bill Ferguson 🇨🇦's avatar

A Haunting of Ghosts

October 16 2025

Prompt by: Tales of the Zeitgeist: HOUSE OF HAIKU PROMPT

Prompt for this week is: GHOST

1

Knock, knock, on the door

A ghost calls out trick or treat

Bring on the candy

2

She stopped waiting now

Ghosted on a dreary night

Tired of dating games

3

Captured ghostly white

The words reflected distress

Deep into the night

4

The knocking had ceased

Replaced with eerie loud sounds

As sheeted ghosts laughed

5

Ghost radio flew

Hundreds of miles to my home

Playing happy tunes

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Moonlight on the floor—

the ghost of my own shadow

waits to follow me.

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