Ghost Walks

When past shapes the present of a place

Fountain of St. James Court in Old Louisville, KY. Photo by author.

The neighborhood is
kept alive by talk of death
and story-filled walks.
Tourists thrill over grisly
gore and broken-hearted youths.

Haunted history
becomes part of the present
identity. What
stories will be told of this
place one hundred years from now?

With Halloween approaching, I’ve found myself thinking back to our family’s late summer vacation to Louisville, KY, and the tours through “Old Louisville” that we took — including an interesting “ghost walk.” The architecture in this neighborhood is beautiful, and some of the homes are genuine mansions, but there are a few empty buildings here and there that show signs of disrepair. It struck me that the neighborhood was cleverly revitalizing itself by catering to the human love of a good ghost story, and our fascination with the past. With so much of the area’s present identity tied to its past, I wonder how long the tales of long-dead residents can continue to inspire wonder and draw the lively interest of tourists like me and my kids? I hope it lasts, and also wonder what new tales will be told as the years progress. This pair of tanka is my response to…