A House is Like a Human

*This piece was written during the Unleash Your Inner Artist workshop, inspired by the artwork by Vaune Trachtman, above.

A house is like a human. 

Some are fancy and new. 
Some are modest and old. 
Some have manicured hedges and large green lawns. 
Some have overgrown bushes and small brown plots. 

This house is neglected. 

Tired of its guests loving it, then leaving, it decided to scare them away forever. 
It fogged up all the windows,
let grime gather on the walls, 
and allowed twigs to tango down the drainpipe. 

Every once in a while, it sees someone walk by. 

Someone who lingers, 
gazes into its glass eyes, 
and runs a soft hand down the molding. 

A familiar ache stirs in the hearth. 

But the house tightens its wooden spine,
makes the cracks a little wider,
the splinters sharper
and that someone turns away.