Luciferin

Would you summon the ghost of me
please? 

13 years old,
with lightning-bright eyes, 
blackout-bruised knees. 

Summer lingering on her skin and 
powdered sugar, 
sea salt,  
artificial orange. 

Shade tattoos on her shoulders and 
citronella, charcoal, 
chlorine in her lungs. 

It’s easy.

Just lay down a fold-out map of Hyrule,
pin down the edges with a shitty silver camera,
a watermelon rind,
a damp beach towel,
and a laptop that weighs 25 lbs.

Just draw a circle,
draw a moon,
with ballpoint pen.

Resurrect her with a few
simple ingredients, 
place them in the circle
and recite
Happy Phantom:

Adenosine triphosphate and oxygen -
a little luciferin, 
to make it glow - 
maidenhair fern before it has withered -
and the sharp cry of an instant messenger.

This ghost is good
if you want to win a racing game
(just hand over the controller).

This ghost is good if you want to watch 
someone fall in love
and refuse to be loved.

If you want a friend who doesn’t call,
but who desperately
wants
to see
you.

This ghost
is good.