It’s amazing how simply turning a picture upside down creates an entire new image. Originally this was a woman swimming just below the water’s surface. I liked the way her arms were bent, like she was going to hug a shark. But the shark just didn’t work, and I was getting frustrated because of time wasted and whatnot when I accidentally flipped the image and suddenly it looked like the woman was rising out of water on her back, all aglow, suddenly making everything surreal. I love the red color, like blood at birth, or flame, with the blue cloud in the background. I tried writing a poem to go with it but for whatever reason this ghost poem didn’t want to be awesome, which is sad but not as sad as using the words “death’s dame” in a poem. That’s just painful.

* * *

Pity the poor ghost
who forgot her name
“You’ll always be mine,
even as death’s dame.”
I called you daughter,
soul of blood and flame.

* * *

Yes, painful, indeed.