vi. home

there used to be a tv before his friend’s son broke it with a vase

there used to be a garden where he grew grape tomatoes for

salads before he lost the battle with the birds there used to

be dull gold wallpaper that peeled in dirty strips before he

decided to repaint them all there used to be boxes of

extra n-95s stacked in the closet before quarantine

came and went quietly so quietly there used to

to be persimmons ripening on the kitchen

counter before he started hating them

there used to be purple bags of cat

food in the pantry before parsley

passed in her sleep there used

to be a room for board games

before it turned too dusty for

anything but storage there

used to be two rinse cups

by the sink before he

i left there used to

be home home

home home

used to be

home.

◀ v. fortepiano