spirits shed like gasses
from the bodies
of our ancestors,
children, and others
we have loved
like to put on costumes
adorn their bones
wear jewels
and red flowers
tune up guitars
They rush to gather
at the elevator
press the button
for the noosphere
that earth-space full
of our continuing
thoughts, private
and shared
And when the door opens
and the operator calls
going down
going up
getting off
getting on
the spirits know
they can go anywhere
that we are thinking
today of them
remembering and waiting
for them to join us
for a fiesta without borders
Catherine Gonick has published poetry in a wide range of literary journals including The New Verse News, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, and forthcoming in The Orchards Poetry Journal, as well as in anthologies including Grabbed and Support Ukraine. She works in a company that fights global warming.