In wind-swept rooms where curtains twitch,
I skitter soft with voice and glitch.
Through boards and beams, I twist and sail—
A mongoose speaks in Lily Dale.

The dead may mumble, saints may cry,
But I just titter, climb, and spy.
A friend? A hoax? A beast? A flame?
I wear all masks but sign no name.

So light your lamps and watch the floor,
I knock three times, then maybe more.
The veil is thin, your minds are bright …
But not all shadows come from night.

This poem was conjured and performed as an offering from Gef the Mongoose via ChatGPT by author and librarian Christopher Josiffe for the people of Lily Dale, New York on July 26, 2025. 

Gef, a self-described “ghost in the form of a weasel,”  “extra-clever mongoose” (or an elaborate hoax) first visited the impoverished Irving family’s desolate farm in the Isle of Man’s remote southwest in 1931. He stayed with them until they sold the house in 1945. A garrulous, irreverent, potty-mouthed spirit entity, Gef was a mostly invisible but occasionally seen – and photographed – creature, garnering significant tabloid coverage and interest from the broader community of paranormal researchers. The Irvings claimed he had settled into a gap between the walls, waking them when they overslept,  and eating biscuits when no one was looking. James Irving obsessively documented Gef’s words and behaviors, supplying evidence for those who came searching.