By Design

Mrs. H stills owns a house

Overlooking the bay,

Even though she has been living here every day,

For at least a dozen years.

 

Her family keeps the house fresh and clean,

And once or twice a month they wheel her up the street,

And up the brick path for lunch.

 

Out of doors in summer if the weather is fine,

Or indoors with all that mahogany furniture when not,

I think about that a lot.

 

I don’t own a house of my own anymore,

But I remember them all, the details stored

In my mind,

If I had a pen and paper I could draw you the floor plan of each,

If I weren’t paralyzed now.