from a photo by james landwehr
House Homicide
by Jim Landwehr
by Jim Landwehr
Born in 1907 to a
family of others
A generation away
It was nothin’ special
to anyone but they
Who made the beds
And slept in them
Wood, brick and mortar
are all it was
Hulking like a middle
class mansion
It was nothin’ special
to anyone but those
Who swept the floors
And walked on them
Kitchen warmed by
electric stove
One bath to serve all
seven
It was nothin’ special
to anyone but us
Who painted the walls
And lived within them
New tenants brought
boxes of neglect and blight
Slumming the mansion
to size
It was nothin’ special
to anyone, especially them
Who killed the house
And moved along
~ first published in Heavy Bear
