Silent House
By L B Sedlacek

She won't be hollering for him anymore -
with cupped hands,
curlers in her hair, and a pink
bathrobe and slippers. Nope:
now he's cooking for one --
the bachelor menu of bacon, eggs
or microwavable blocks of ice;
nothing like the meals she used
to make. His neighbor's fix him
plates, but he knows they're
only leftovers. Then they ask
his opinions on all sorts of
things. He keeps busy with the
yard work: raking, mowing,
shoveling snow. But, he's just
no good at cleaning her china:
useless to him, but it was hers
so he dusts it three times a week.

Editor - The Poetry Market (www.thepoetrymarket.com), Contributing Editor & Online Instructor - Muse's Kiss (http://members.aol.com/museskiss). Chapbooks include: …after Graceland, The Cat and the Carroll A. Deering, Alexandra's Wreck (forthcoming from Kitty Litter Press, Feb. 2002). Recent poetry publications include: Anthology, Doggerel, Poetry Life & Times, The Odeum, Facets Literary Magazine, The Guild, Blue Collar Review, Beggar's Press, Improvajazzation Nation, Unlikely Stories, Starry Night Review Literary E-zine, IdioM, Red Owl Magazine, Portals. www.authorsden.com/lbsedlacek