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Of the House, Etched in Mind

In two decades of decadent living
I'd banished all remembrances of the past
But the house that I ran from came ghosting
Nudging me to go visit one last time


Jack Daniels, Thaddeus IV, and I hit the road with trepidation
Our trio would make do the best we could
Surprisingly my brain's GPS knows the way precisely 
And by noon we stand before the uninhabitable old house


I take a swig to boost me up and anesthetize my senses 
No need to get worked up over a childhood that's buried and gone
But then Thaddeus IV's growling comes with cryptic urgency
That sends him in a wild dash to the back of the house


I hug Jack like a shield to protect my galloping heartbeat
And barrell us in the direction of the barking dog 
But my foot catches, sends Jack rolling, and me, floundering
Until crying and full of sulk I spit out the hurt from chicken-pooped dirt
Risen, I gasp at the wildflowers and bees-- juvenescence etched in my mind. 

They’re talking house, at dVerse

Posted by Laura Bloomsbury in Poetics at dVerse: 
For this Poetics Prompt I want us to be voyeurs, peeping through
windows and doors of a house One that has no family connections,
no memories of our own to call upon.

- conjure an imaginary house of any size, any place, any age
- fill it with an imaginary person/people past or present, or ghosts,
or leave it empty with its history
- make it literal but move into the metaphorical if you wish.

If you find it hard to imagine then use a picture of a house
(exterior or interior) and write an ekphrastic or select a house in
your neighbourhood, or a historic place, or one from a book or film
but reinvent its history, story or narrative.

Once you have published your poem, add it to the Linky widget and leave
a comment (see below). Then go visiting, reading and sharing your
thoughts with other contributors, which is half the fun of our
dVerse gatherings.

Posted by Laura Bloomsbury in Poetics

Thanks for the prompt, dVerse.
Thanks for the photo: Image by Ziggyz123 from Pixabay 
Thanks for reading. I wish you miracles.

Selma Martin
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This Post Has 15 Comments

    1. Selma Martin

      Hello Phillip. So glad you read and commenting. Means the world to me.
      Thanks for letting me know that phrase worked for you. Glad. Be well. I wish you miracles.

  1. Sunra Rainz

    Fantastic, Selma. So evocative! I enjoyed your trio’s adventure 🙂

    1. Selma Martin

      Sunra, 💃🏼 💕 you keep me motivated. I appreciate you.

  2. Laura Bloomsbury

    vividly told, the trip back, and down in the dirt seeing wildflowers growing up . Some lovely lines but especially liked the finale
    juvenescence etched in my mind.”

    1. Selma Martin

      Laura, 😊 💕 glad you read. A lovely prompt indeed. Thanks YOU so much. I appreciate the comment. Be well. I wish you miracles.

  3. Helen Dehner

    Glory be!!! That is one dilapidated structure …. I enjoyed reading your poem.

    1. Selma Martin

      Indeed, Helen. dilapidated like something in her character. Hope she looks beyond what’s in front of her cause sometimes the silver lining is a fall away. 😉
      I appreciate you reading and commenting. Be well, Dear Helen. xo

  4. msjadeli

    An inextinguishable trio, I love the adventure — and the COURAGE — to go back and meet it on its home turf. Excellent poeming, Selma.

    1. Selma Martin

      Aww. Your comment about poeming made me grin. Thanks dearly. 😉

  5. sanaarizvi

    “But the house that I ran from came ghosting/Nudging me to go visit one last time,” .. fantastic writing, Selma! Wow! 💝💝

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