Apparitions

Wooden floors,
Leading stairways into dark rooms
I was always afraid.
Faked bravery in my walk,
Bravado in each step.

But I should have known.
I saw your shadows by candlelight
Your lover whispering warnings
Making nightmares of my dreams.

Pale sheets hovered towards me
Outlines and semblances of living sleep
Vague lights and translucent white.

Eyes wide, I took you in.
Not a scream, not a whimper.
My heart raced, my legs begged me
My body shook as you stared in
And I stared through.

You come back to haunt me.
To creak my wooden floor,
To close all my doors,
Pour over me cold,
And wake me with silent screams.

I can't decide if you come from above,
Or from below.
Because you torture me
Yet entice me, that it will end
One day, we will find peace.

Until then, neither you,
Nor I,
Shall sleep.

-Noemi Garcia Rigsby

Split and Steal

Perhaps it was the unspoken
Tears held back
Expressions controlled
Across the table,
you lied.

Our love on pause
You hid your card
Mine marked play,
Yours delete.

You never showed up
To the reveal,
Where I held my card up
And you walked away
Rich and free.

But I would have let you win
Let you keep it all
You didn't have to hide away
Keep your silence about the choice you made.

Didn't you know?
I don't need anything from you
I would have let you go.

Now, instead,
We're strangers
Afraid of words
Afraid to find each other
Again.

-Noemi Garcia Rigsby