I see you still in every hotel lobby
station bar, airport lounge.
And hear that special way you had
of calling out, twirling my name
around, the sound wrapped
in an embrace, Seemingly surprised
to find me there
though pre-arranged and diary
checked. our convocations.
Fellow travellers on the move
swift and stealthy fly-by-nights
cautious as ships that pass
lest we drift too far, too deep
or drown in oceans of words
we never dared to speak
I see you still in every hotel lobby
station bar, airport lounge
yet hearing nothing of you
these past days and years
wander every guesting place
in search of ghosts.
For Sanaa’s Open Link Night in which she gives us the mini prompt: Hotel lobby though anything goes otherwise
PoetryPix 
This is so personal, yet we both saw those ghosts in the lobby… there is something about Hopper that make me think of ghosts.
and something about nostalgia too that is a search for ghosts
Ah, like Björn, your hotel has ghosts, but not the same kind. This is such a poignant poem, Laura, personal and yet familiar to many readers. I love the phrase ‘twirling my name around, the sound wrapped in an embrace’, and these lines are beautiful:
‘cautious as ships that pass
lest we drift too far, too deep
or drown in oceans of words
we never dared to speak’.
thank you Kim – I’m glad you felt the familiarity else it would be too personal
My pleasure, Laura.
It may have to wait. Imagine the perks you two will have, flying, free ❤
I doubt there are re-runs even there
😦 I hope there are. I’m counting on it.
This is absolutely stunning, Laura! Wow! The poem speaks of ghosts and memories on a more personal level here. I too admire; “twirling my name around, the sound wrapped in an embrace.” 💜💜💜
your prompt was just right for a touch of nostalgia – thank you Sanaa
“cautious as ships thay pass”
nice image.
much♡love
thanks Gillena
“that special way you had
of calling out, twirling my name
around, the sound wrapped
in an embrace”
These lines make the heart flutter.
thank you for the flutter Melissa
Really excellent, and interesting, in particular because I attempted a poem on the same theme bit gave up, sowas really nice to see it done like that.
thank you Ain for such appreciation – perhaps you’ll arrive at your hotel lobby later in time for an open link night!
This is so evocative–full of ghosts and memories. Beautiful, Laura.
The beginning made me think of that old song, “I’ll Be Seeing You.”
I’d never thought about nostalgia and the ghost link so clearly before – thank you Merril
You’re welcome, Laura.
It’s something I’ve thought of often.
I enjoyed these words and this poem very much.
❤
I like the play on words with “guesting” and “ghosting.” You really capture that sense of haunting nostalgia.
ghosts as welcome guest even!
Quite!
Hotel lobby is a wonderful setting. This is intriguing and haunting.
many thanks Colleen
“pre-arranged and diary checked” … (but always a coincedence!). ❤
😉
This makes me think of my grandmother. She would have dearly loved to see ghosts, looked for them everywhere, but never saw them and lost any belief she’d see them in another life. You have to believe in figments or they never emerge.
seeing is believing they say
And believing is seeing.
I love the idea of ghosts and enjoyed the repetition in the poem. 🙂
thank you for noticing that – it gives an added piquancy to the search
I read this yesterday when it was just published and thought it so beautiful, I didn’t have words.
many thanks Jude for finding the words today ❤
I like the term “guesting place” and your repetition at the end. Chance encounters or maybe not?
thank you Yvonne
“twirling my name around” what an exquisite turn of phrase! Hotel lobbies/airports have been those places of furtive, stealthy meetings and your poem recreates those rendezvous so beautifully. Laura, yet again…👌🏼
thank you once again for your perceptive understanding appreciation
Believe me, it’s always a pleasure.
❤