Haunt

Haunt

The house.
The family who loves it suddenly,

they move there for it,
it was so inexpensive
they cannot believe their fortune.

The parents, their marriage with
bruises, trying to grow,

children who run test the walls
of this house with their play.

First, the pet goes missing
after acting nervous,
a bloody collar on the lawn.

Next, an occurrence.
Thump-thump on the floorboards
while everyone sleeps,
the mother listening.

A vanished toy.

The child speaks of her friend
who is lonely and sad
and invisible.

The longest part is about
discovery,

there is a basement to be found,
a shed,
a closet with a shrine inside,
some space watching the family,
entering them.

The kitchen cupboards thrown open,
a door that won’t let you out when you
try to leave,
a dish or a picture frame swooping
toward you and smashing
against the wall behind your head.

There are only two people in this movie,
the house and the family.

This is a love story
in which the lover
cannot be trusted.

There is only time
for the family and the house
to react
to one another.

No groceries,
or email,
or snoring.

The family dreads every evening
when the house is most awake.
All it wants is to bring them home.