A shadow lives in my shower
standing still and
still standing in the dark
           born from the drain—
           whole and imperfect
she is
a septic Venus de Milo

        I’ve seen her,
black like the fog
of retinal detachment,
in dreams, nightmares
            fantasies, behind
the mildewed curtain

crying stillwater
mothering the mold
between loose grout
taptapping her yellowed nails
           on the soapstained tiles.

she uses my shampoo,
        leaves waterbugs
    on dirtied porcelain
like chocolates on pillows
or horse heads in beds

I let her,
        it’s a small price
        to pay for her silence

Alyssa Ciamp is a scientist, a writer and someday a ghost. Find her on twitter @ClinicallyChill.

*photography by Alyssa Ciamp