From the outside the house stands Tall and proud with lights gleaming Out of every perceivable window Giving the sense of warmth inside Like any good facade it is an illusion A display meant to lure in close Unsuspecting prey who can’t see The rotting putrefaction inside Where tables are set for ghosts Who will never join the host alone Among flyspecked walls peeling With paint that might have once Been appealing but for years In disabuse crumbles like the rest Of furniture gathered optimistically For guests that will never come And those that make it to the door Thrown open in a welcome gesture Ruin can be seen without entering They leave before they can explore The deeper reaches of hidden space Where something redeeming might be Found for the intrepid explorer seeking To rejuvenate the decaying structure
A voyeuristic poem on the outside looking in from Laura’s writing prompt at dVerse.
Copyright © 2021 TJS Sherman All rights reserved.
The poem constantly pulls and pushes between allure and the repulsion of rot and ruin and ends with a tug of curiosity. Very well done and. Some very nice internal rhyme too
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Thank you! Nice prompt this week
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This hits so hard because it makes me wonder how these houses get like this. Not enough maintenance? Hoarding? Abandoned? Very realistically and evocatively written.
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Sometimes exterior appearances are what matters most. If it looks nice outside that’s what people see not the mess inside.
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Yeah, you capture the slow inevitable decline masterfully here. Salute!
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The attempt to maintain curbside appeal while letting the inside go to pot.
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Looks are certainly deceiving here, and you’ve set the tone for a myriad of questions!
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As they should be if you’re trying to pull a bait and switch
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Like a shiny red apple. Looks so delicious until you take a bite.
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I could tell you before opening the door it’s not a happy home. A few scraggly foundation shrubs but most of the front of the house is cement parking lot. Ugh.
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I was thinking about it as a metaphor for a charming person who is desolate on the end side. A shitty parking lot with random garbage and cigarette cartons would be too much of a red flag 😄
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In side… I suppose the end side too if they’re an ass.
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Would a nicely swept parking lot and a couple of shrubs be a red flag, or just someone with no landscaping skills?
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If they feel the need for a parking lot, they’re going to be too busy for my taste. Give me the four table cafe with parallel parking only (in a town, not a city where you have to circle the block for an hour to find a spot to park).
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Gorgeous use of internal rhyme here! I love how the house exudes both allure and a sense of the ominous .. in turn making it irresistible for the reader. And yes, I agree.. there are people who fit this description too. 💝💝
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It’s the inside that matters more than the outside.
Yes, looks can be deceptive.
Wonderful words. 🙂
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Facades ~~ deception lurking. Well done!
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Well, okay, super glad I didn’t read this just before going to bed lol
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Great introduction of an empty house, souls without a family, but not without a glimmer of hope for redemption.
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souless without a family
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We might have been looking at e same house. You downer deeper though
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