The House Upon the Cliff
Posted by Erin Mansfield
They fell like sopping rain into the foyer
Before maneuvering past buckets of water
And hastily settling into the parlor
Each crack of thunder shook the house
Comfort was disregarded for warmth
Provided by sips of a light, bitter tea
Their journey was a difficult one
The house, once splendid, still charmed
As gold-leaf glistened beneath the neglect
And each room contained the remembrances
Of generations of life, love and home
The sole remaining heir and guardian
Drained of money, time and energy
In the desperate hope of restoring the house
And preserving those cherished memories
Finally knew that the quest had failed
Standing upon the edge of a treacherous cliff
More of the grounds vanished every year
Threatening to take this ancient dwelling
The travelers confirm worrisome fears
The roads are washed out, barely passible
Perhaps these walls will still hold
Yet this torrent is not about to let up
Certainly they must escape to safety
While they retain a chance of success
Caught unprepared due to a deep denial
The guardian stashes a sentimental souvenir
Gathers some necessities, and prays for safety
Another flash and crack, the lights flicker
Before flooding the room in blind darkness
They struggle with flashlights and candles
The job is nearly done, though the ground jerks
Suddenly gravity seems to pull with a new weight
Feet slip, the body lurches instinctively forward
While nearly swallowed by the blackening abyss
And is yet caught by a single hand on the wrist
And pulled into a welcome temporary safety
Into each other’s arms, holding tight for a moment
With a nod they run, taking care not to fall
They shove themselves and a bag into the car
The path ahead, more like a river than road
The car jerks with each widening whole
The traveler’s determined to save their friend
As they charge onward, defying wind and rain
But the guardian only stares at the home now lost
No longer the protector of a priceless history
Now the protected in a battle against the elements
Nothing left to do, but to simply hold on
As strength slips and the world continues to rage
Forgetting to feel anything, but overwhelming loss
Before maneuvering past buckets of water
And hastily settling into the parlor
Each crack of thunder shook the house
Comfort was disregarded for warmth
Provided by sips of a light, bitter tea
Their journey was a difficult one
The house, once splendid, still charmed
As gold-leaf glistened beneath the neglect
And each room contained the remembrances
Of generations of life, love and home
The sole remaining heir and guardian
Drained of money, time and energy
In the desperate hope of restoring the house
And preserving those cherished memories
Finally knew that the quest had failed
Standing upon the edge of a treacherous cliff
More of the grounds vanished every year
Threatening to take this ancient dwelling
The travelers confirm worrisome fears
The roads are washed out, barely passible
Perhaps these walls will still hold
Yet this torrent is not about to let up
Certainly they must escape to safety
While they retain a chance of success
Caught unprepared due to a deep denial
The guardian stashes a sentimental souvenir
Gathers some necessities, and prays for safety
Another flash and crack, the lights flicker
Before flooding the room in blind darkness
They struggle with flashlights and candles
The job is nearly done, though the ground jerks
Suddenly gravity seems to pull with a new weight
Feet slip, the body lurches instinctively forward
While nearly swallowed by the blackening abyss
And is yet caught by a single hand on the wrist
And pulled into a welcome temporary safety
Into each other’s arms, holding tight for a moment
With a nod they run, taking care not to fall
They shove themselves and a bag into the car
The path ahead, more like a river than road
The car jerks with each widening whole
The traveler’s determined to save their friend
As they charge onward, defying wind and rain
But the guardian only stares at the home now lost
No longer the protector of a priceless history
Now the protected in a battle against the elements
Nothing left to do, but to simply hold on
As strength slips and the world continues to rage
Forgetting to feel anything, but overwhelming loss
0 comments: