by Jim Curtis

Created on: August 30, 2009

Old House

They will tear this old house down

and build a bigger one on this hill.

They may try to salvage something,

but they will not find much more than bones,

all the beloved pets buried deep beneath stones.

They will cut down the chestnuts and the pines

and wonder who was dumb enough to plant them here.

Finally, they will be done and the new house will stand on this ridge.

Its walls will be solid,

its foundation will be sure,

its plumbing and wiring safe,

all its systems working perfectly.

Children will not have thrown up on its carpets,

cats will not have marked the walls,

dogs will not have scratched the doors.

Lovers will have yet to make their sounds in these rooms.

One-hundred-forty-nine years to go.

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