The Phantom Lover
How many times had Lilly not stood,
at the garden gate of the biggest mansion in town.
She often wandered during the spring and summer,
out of town and up the hill.
Never once imagining,
that a phantom lover awaited her.
Where at the top stood a magnificent house,
with a garden that bloomed all summer long
and had many paths, benches and even a fountain.
Lilly often stopped by the garden,
peering in and admiring all the flowers that grew there.
Often she fantasized about who might live there,
but even if the garden was well kept,
no one was ever seen coming from or going to town.
So one night when the moon was full,
as Lily dreamed by the garden gate,
making a slight move she stumbled,
falling against the gate to discover it open.
Quietly she slipped into the moon bathed garden
and walked along the paths already familiar to her.
Until she reached the fountain where water quietly gurgled down,
there at the edge Lilly sat down.
She looked up at the mansion and saw that it was all dark.
It seemed so strange as if in a fairy tale,
to be in such a garden where no soul seemed to live.
With a sigh she rose and walked back along the path,
as she passed the house a handsome young man appeared.
Though startled oddly enough ,
Lilly didn’t feel afraid.
The young man bowed and bid her good-evening.
He introduced himself as Carlos
and to Lilly he looked of Spanish descent.
They sat upon a bench
and Carlos spoke of his family in Spain,
Of his father who had built the house
and his mother Inez who had returned to Spain when his father died.
It felt as though he were recounting the tale of his life
and yet his life was not over yet.
Lilly felt so drawn to him
and so their magic spring and summer nights began.
Every evening she’d meet Carlos in the garden
and they’d walk hand in hand.
As time went on he even sang wonderful Spanish melodies to her.
Before she knew it fall had arrived,
the flowers were dying and the leaves were falling.
It was at this time that one evening Carlos,
looked deep into her eyes.
He said he had to go away,
but would return in the spring.
So Lilly left the garden for awhile,
with his kiss burning on her lips.
All through the fall and winter,
Lilly would walk up the hill.
Through wind and rain and snow,
Just to be sure it wasn’t a dream
and that the house on the hill still stood.
The garden looked like a winter wonderland.
Even though she longed to walk there,
the memories made her heart ache.
So Lilly kept dreaming and hoping,
until finally spring arrived.
With hopeful heart she waited,
but the garden remained silent and empty.
It was bursting forth in new bloom
and Lilly wondered who the gardener was.
Finally as May drew to a close,
she went walking in the garden again.
In her silly and foolish heart,
she thought she might meet Carlos once more.
Had he lied to her she didn’t know
and it was daylight they had always met when evening came.
Thus she sat among the blooming flowers all around
and her heart skipped a beat as she heard footsteps.
In anticipation she strained to hear Carlos’ voice,
but instead a woman said that she had always loved this garden.
Lilly looked up startled as an old Spanish woman sat down beside her.
She apologized for trespassing but the old woman paid no mind.
She told Lilly that she was Inez and that this was her house.
At the sound of Carlos’ mother’s name Lilly felt her face flush.
Inez told her that she had returned to live out her life,
in the mansion her husband had built for her.
That this house held memories which she no longer could deny.
Lilly was on pins and needles,
wondering what Inez would say about Carlos.
But Inez’ story frightened her,
as she told her of her husband who had passed away,
being much older than her,
about the son she had raised and loved,
who had been a navy captain
and had been lost at sea.
It was at this point that Lilly shook her head,
no, no there must be some mistake.
It was then that she told Inez,
of how she had met Carlos,
of the spring and summer evenings they had shared.
Inez then smiled a sad smile,
so you are the Lilly he told me about.
Carlos had chosen to stay at the mansion,
a phantom with no life in him any longer.
It was he that kept the gardens so well.
Inez had been surprised that he appeared to her
and when she realized that his spirit had found love.
She also knew she wanted to be with him,
in the place he loved the most.
So along with some servants,
she had reopened the house,
choosing to spend her remaining years –
with the son she had loved so well.
Lilly listened like in a dream,
she couldn’t , didn’t want to understand,
but realized that it must be so.
It would explain all the odd things that had occurred
and why Carlos never left the garden.
Inez dabbed at her eyes as she patted Lilly’s hand.
I know you’re much too young to settle for a phantom lover.
but do come to see me whenever you can.
Carlos will always be waiting,
I know he loves you so.
Alas for Lilly her heart was too filled with love for Carlos,
she became a companion to Inez
and for many, many years one could see,
the phantom lover and his intended –
walking through the garden in the moonlight.
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- In My Special Dreams - February 16, 2024
Oh, what a sorrowful love, yet beautiful in a strange way. Very well written piece, Rasma. I enjoyed reading this.
Thank you Phyllis.
What a beautiful love story buried within this poem. Great job, Rasma.
Thank you John.
A Beautifully woven story, so sweetly expressed in poetic rendering. A lovely work Rasma. Excellent.
Thank you Tony.