Chippingham House
for L.M.M.

i.
things she’d touch, she’d let touch her
she’d want to touch and have touch her
along with me, I’d not want to let touch me

what she’d want me to be an assortment of,
assorted with, I’d not be able to permit or admit

never cared to admit into my life her family
with which, with whom she is so intimate

that is it, unable to fit, not wanting to wear
the outfit she’d want to outfit me in
were we to marry

ii.
incongruous cultures, hers and mine

who the members of her family are
who the members of mine

every member of mine independent
space of their own

hers in herds, in packs
reliant upon each other,
would lie upon each other

great big house all to myself
I share with paintings, books
with what I write

thought she wanted a house to get away
want a house to take along
who’s well and who’s ill
who’s bad and who’s good
who could and who can’t

her house has always been a home
old folks home, Randfurley Home

her dad came home to die and did
her mom followed
together over about 12 years

inserted these in our affair
superimposed them upon the family
we were attempting to be, attempting
to build


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
Written between 5:55 p.m.
and 6:39 p.m. Friday,
October 30th 2009