i never expected ghosts
being released as my body
let go of memories held
in my abdomen and hips
my chest, neck, arms
   and even face
stored so much i buried
without intention in this
fleshy peripheral storage
tightening with each life
piece deferred for later
until one day you discover
distortions of tied knots
gripping without reason since
as a psoas cannot do math
somehow it can hold a memory
it greedily holds within
until convinced, by some
very quiet means to release
the hostage it has held
so you might never escape
until the brain quiets
enough to listen and let go
often only in small steps
what you've been hiding

and then the body returns
like a reward of open space
where normality feels like
even at home
a forgotten luxury