Unruffled sheets on half the bed
Manure and compost piles unspread
No woodchips on upholstered chairs
No wads of mud on cellar stairs
A pair of running shoes unfilled,
The ergometer counter stilled
Computer monitor unscribed,
Animal carvings undefined
The silent eight-day clock unwound,
No need to ring the dinner gong
No answer to the office phone,
A truck with no commute from home
The waxplant tolls its heavy blooms
Their midnight scent invaded the rooms.