Safe As Houses, Warm As Milk

The only way to do it

is the hard way,

to keep pressing ahead

kicking up dust

so I can be ignored behind

with the wet cloth.

80 years the barnacles of

improvements clinging

to the house, someone comes by

or a double act

stresses me out

and I forget of the barnacles before.

Which valve shuts off what,

what has me scrubbing squid ink

off the ceiling,

or panting, rocking back and forth

on the floor idly picking

at the sides of the hull.