The dragonfly door knocker you bought falls five times hard,
And you wait outside the house you are no longer welcome.
Frantic children crawl across the floor inside.
Your paranoid outlook has rubbed off on them,
No matter how often they deny it.
This is not the first time they have peered out the window
In fear of seeing you.
Is it her?
They recognize your face
Despite years of being apart.
Who could ever forget that face?
The face of a stranger they knew all too well.
You reach for the doorknob.
It’s unlocked.
And for a moment, it allows you to pretend.
Pretend as you walk inside
That this home,
And these children,
Are still yours.