Maggie Sullivan
Near Death (Domestic)
The washing machine,
worn out with the effort
of keeping things clean,
flooded.
Marooned on the diminishing carpet,
trippers watched the tide come in.
He ignored her cries, said
Swim for the insurance policy.
They rescued what they could:
the children, the cat, wooden spoons.
Dried out, except for the stains -
bruises on the shag pile,
high tide marks on the walls -
the anaglypta flowers drowned.
She’s all for getting out,
cancelling all claims,
but the damp has got into
the door and window-frames.
And the new carpet already laid,
cut, stretched to fit the awkward corners.
They’ve made it home again.
Page(s) 21
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