Glass.

ghosts stalk my cat in the dark corners of our apartment

every once in a while he'll notice them

with widening pupils he focuses on the void just over my shoulder
where phantoms lurk like the deep circles under my eyes

bruised shadows hidden behind a pane of glass

I see

the monsters when I remove my glasses,
dark, sunken eyes brooding from ugly
gaunt-yellow visage,
blurred and hidden in perfect sight,
I see the sins bared empty on your souls,
the demons struggling to be free,
your true faces turned away reveal
a scowling bitter mosaic,
I see the sun a phantom fireball at dusk
burning, burning, into infinity, burning
all eventually, burning even truth--

I wipe my glasses of the scum
and put them back on so I
can keep smiling.