Green leaves
Cheese oil
Pesto
Garlic smell
Still in the house
And the cats
Chasing toys and
Watching raccoons
And making funny noises
Fountain runs
A babbling brook
As the alpha cat
Purrs his approval
Of unexpected
Overnight attention
He snuggles in
For daily comfort
His, mine,
Who cares?
We both know this is home
And make the best and
Most of it
Taking the ashes of the bad
And slowly ridding
Our rooms of it
One memory at a time
One re-done
Routine at a time
Somehow order
Soothes me
As I get old
Where chaos
Was my friend
When college
Ruled my head.
But now
Shiny sinks
Clean clothes
Tidy spaces
Make me feel
Truly welcome
My space
My family
My colors
My cats
My home.
The purple house
With the willow
Run wild in front
Hammock calling
From the shady hazelnuts
Out back
And a grilling place
And a soaking place
And a motorcycle
Smack in my
Backyard
Like it's always
Been there
And I've done that
And I've got the
Mortgage to prove it.
And the job
To keep it
And the will
To inhabit it
     Now.