Kit Kelen #1441 - knock knock

1441

knock knock

(a series of home invasions)

for ataraxia

a fire comes up to our door

knocks and waits

fire’s so polite

can entertain itself

there’d been a card from Smoke

so we’d been kind of expecting

‘I’m just getting dressed’

some excuse

‘have to answer the phone

pack a few things’

a quiet burn around the garden

‘please just only the weeds’

we’re worried fire might be casing the joint

sun keeps a fierce eye

it’s an all consuming passion, theft

still waiting for us

after all this time

you have to hand it to fire

all spirits up

gets you pumping

a new idea always blows my mind

and these must be the good old days

night falls

‘hello, old friend’

the flood laps up to the stoop

lovely cool, if hard to remember

was cloud, was rain

asks simply

‘would I like some more’

I show it the tanks round the back

you see it’s come one come all

visitors!

the light first thing

then it’s day

fresh faced voyeur

prises back curtains

it’s all the time now

one thing and another

‘show us your licence’

let radio, tv, internet in

quite a crowd these days

the power on long thin wires still

big wind

huff and puff

unnatural cycles

here’s the priest

‘any kiddies at home?’

the plague comes

oh that’s ages as well

could be measles, mumps

next door wants a loan of some sugar

odd accusations

and no, ‘we don’t have a gun,

keep snakes’

‘who’s in charge of this burning bush?’

the Council Inspector –

‘whose work is this?

and when and why?

approved?’

can’t get away with anything these days

Ali Baba’s girlfriend marks the doors

someone’s losing their head

now here’s an angel for annunciation

a stork left sundry bubs

how quickly they grow up these days!

and the fire comes back

maybe selling insurance

no, I think it must be encyclopaedias

(so much Aardvark to attitude)

time marches on

the State in so many forms

‘settle down

be silent, still’

now they come for the dissidents

the tax mob have been

cleaned us out already

here are the big boot troopers

steel capped

drag us out by our prayers

the banks!

poker machines all along the driveway

neighbours can thank us later

Heimlich Unheimlich

they’re our solicitors

come to discuss the will

and paparazzi! I wondered when…

they have discovered greatness at last

now the roast on a spit!

today we’re not blaming anyone

Jehovah witnesses this

wanted to pop out

harvest some herbs

bring in a pumpkin, fruit

crows have torn down the screens again

Fire’s waiting in the wings

more of an insistent rub

you couldn’t call it a knock

faraway, patient in the queue

‘and take your time’, Death says

‘just looking in

thought I’d drop by

I wanted a quiet word’

stiff upper lip

what can one do?

I wouldn’t call it a policy

but we keep an open door