Inertia

A widowed fluorescent shudders bleach over malignant linoleum

in a kitchen

                  with not enough bench space.

A too steep spiral staircase ascends to the second floor

of a house

                  that will soon be demolished.

Water stains bloom across the ceiling like

                                    memories eroding holes in whites and greys

above rooms coated autumnal

by afternoons filtered  

through fading

bed sheet curtains.

None of us were on the lease.