The Rental

White door. Plastic. No number

New carpets over stone floors

Cracked paint on windowsill

90’s radiators

Paint job on old wallpaper

Crumbling plaster lurks beneath

Uneven stairs, lethal gradient

Curtain rail broken

Outdated boiler newly stamped

Sink dulled with Brillo pad,

the shine worn off

And an old gas stove

Painted over tiles

And painted over mould

Original features – gone

Replaced with modern tat

Kitchen lino cut to fit

Blinds hotch-potch, made to do

Closed windows and musty air

And TWO fire extinguishers

Yard enclosed by old stone wall

Shabby, concrete square with broken panes

Dripping overflow pipe leaves a green trail down dirty render

Out-house still filled with crap – just a different kind

Dry, warm, ours

Evri-man delivers our home in boxes

Clean, polish, sweep, air

Our first house together

Home!