a time, not so long behind
pain is hard to forget

i pour my coffee

a new song through the speakers
teases up a hurt long gone
rushing to the front of my mind

if it makes me feel so low;
why repeat it?
why do this to myself?

behind the wheel 
i take time to analyze 
both the song and
the way it makes me feel

i stop at the red light
feel my anger well up like a tide
the light changes
i don’t

it continues to play, over in my mind—
the day ticks on

i reheat my coffee

the feeling is distracting
something that i can never shake fully

these kinds of ghosts are 
quiet and comfortable
not scary enough to evict;
just nagging

the song fades but now
my coffee is cold