A True Ghost Story

My grandfather's house at Maypajo
It was built in year nineteen o' five
Of the sturdy wood 'kamagong'
For ninety long years it survived.

It had delicate capiz- shelled windows,
And hard wooden planks for its floors,
Wide beams on ceilings that show
Fine architecture and Spanish decor.

In the twenties it held various parties,
And its rooms may have held many guests.
My aunts and my Mom were real beauties,
And I'm sure many gents laid their quests.

The second World War had been deadly,
For the Japanese fired many a mortar.
Its plastered walls bared testimony
To the ugly devastation of war.

That house witnessed many departures,
As its tenants soon married away.
Grandfather, its permanent fixture,
He would walk its rooms night and day.

The years saw him slowly yielding,
To the rigors of approaching old age.
Like his old house that was depreciating,
He was closing and turning Life's page.

At his death bed he had wanted to see
(For the house in his will was not clear)
His second daughter, my dear Aunt Nellie,
Was summoned for some things she should hear.

But alas, it was rather too late,
And the dying man's word left unsaid.
For Death was the guest who can't wait,
When Aunt Nellie came, he was dead.

Aunt Nellie claimed the property
Said she had the title to her name.
Though her siblings begged to disagree,
Her lawyers legalized it all the same.

The house boldly stood through the years,
There were some very weird happenings.
The neighbors and the people had fears,
Some saw an old man at night... walking.

Some said when they looked for my aunt,
An old man peered through the window.
Informed them that the house was vacant,
And to church, my aunt and her son did go.

My own brother's nanny had witnessed it
In a story that turned up our hairs.
She turned to see an old man without feet
In slow motion descending the stairs!

We showed her Grandfather's old photo,
And she point blank said 'That's him! '
The man she saw in white tuxedo
Had been roaming the house at whim.

Though I have never seen a ghost,
And consider them just halloween fun,
This true story is fearful at the most,
In that house, the old man there... walks on.





This is a true story, and the house, though sold and renovated,
still has its 'permanent tenant' ; many people have testified to have seen him.

Copyright Cynthia Buhain Baello

Reviews

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

Oh dear, such a beauty of history, I love writes like this.
I was captivated till the end, recognized much of my own history.
In Indonesia, and have much of old pictures like this too, wonderful...
We have a lot incommon.

Keep on amazing us, thank you for sharing this.

E.L.

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

Thank you E.L. I am intrigued by these sightings and have heard many true accounts of departed souls trying to connect and send a last message to their loved ones. So I write them.

I did too dear one, to my nenek in my poem ~ silent power, this was wonderful! Sometimes the western world doesn't know that we can communicate... But it doesn't matter, as long as we stay focused... You're so welcome! Loved this

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

Thank you.

[Pax]

very much well written, and a haunting tale of our histories of the past.
well done...it spooks my curiosity in the paranormal...which i really liked.

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

Thank you kabayan.

[Leslie Philibert]

A well written poem that would make a good short strory too. I like this.

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

Thank you Leslie. I wrote the short story about it titled "A Ghost's Retribution" and there the circumstances explain why this happened.

[Marie]

I have never seen a ghost, but I believe you...

[...]

. i was drawn to this post as your reply to E. L. popped up in my updates ... where you said ...

"I am intrigued by these sightings and have heard many true accounts of departed souls trying to connect and send a last message to their loved ones. So I write them."

. thank you for writing them ... this piece is a grand piece of work ... narrated extremely poetically ... i do believe "departed souls" who continue to feel connected to the living universe return for "visits" ... i have heard many accounts from people that are true ... i recently started praying to them ... i feel they are very attached to someone or something ... and it is their attachment that expresses itself in these "visits" ... thank you again ...

. p.s. and, thank you for sharing that picture with your readers ... it's an amazing picture that speaks a million words ...

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

Thank you for reading and for the comments.

[...]

. you're very welcome :) ...

[Ed Hart]

your tale carries the rhythm of marching war, of ticking hearts, of declining years...this is like the story-telling poems of yore...to add to what mr froman says, well done

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

Thank you.

[An owl on the moon]

What a moving flow and form, expressing the haunting depth of the story. The history and mystery unfold so brilliantly in your magnificent poetic style. So much to tell, and so well voiced.

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

Thank you Craig.

[Michael G.]

Fascinating poem. Easily read.
I'm glad I didn't read it late last night.
Well Done.

[MOON]

Poignant write, many people speak of ghosts inhabiting the places they love. Poem lyrical and content interesting.

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

Thank you Moon, I wrote a family a saga on this. There were some years of conflict that arose before this happened. Thank you for reading and leaving a comment.