night ghosts

sometimes
the ghosts appear. they rattle
their chains,
coming up the stairs,
they bump
into things, I hear
the creak
of the floor as their
weight
goes down, heel by heel.
but there is no fear,
they are powerless now,
just vague memories,
none of them
make me lose a minute
of sleep.
there is just a grin, a smile,
a wave,
and the words,
good night all you dears.