In a small apartment box a phantom figure sits awhile pensive in quarrel with the Universe then after a while goes - His scratches left on remembering walls holes where pictures hung depressions left in carpet from his waiting chair Oh, they cleaned away his life as best they could scrubbed his marks washed and even painted But his mail still comes his Playboy, bank statements bills, checks and offers for home equity loans I live with the remains of a man as with another long ago - a man with hopes that turned another way