The Room

Kettle

boiling boiling

hot hot hot.

 

Suddenly - a noise

Who’s there?

knock knock knock.

 

“No one’s here”

says no one,

bustling about.

 

The chicken is ready,

the children are not.

 

One dog, one cat,

one body does rot.

 

Another noise -

but why?

Knock knock knock

 

The kettle, boiling,

begins its slow whistle -

hot hot hot

 

A scream like murder

scrapes through the air and

Off the table goes the pot.

 

A shatter of glass,

a barking so shrill,

meowing, meowing,

the night is not still.

 

More urgent now, at the door -

knock knock knock

 

“No one’s here!”

Says no one.

While waiting to rot,

hits the floor again -

knock knock knock.