If we brought a brand new house,

instead of an old house that is new to us…..
I would not have
several yards of dusty pink wallpaper
to remove,
or a toilet
that sounds like a cappuccino machine,
and one that sings.

If we brought a brand new house,
instead of an old house that is new to us…..
you could not come over
and play a lively round
of find the fuse box,
(I’ll give you a hint,
we have seven).

If I brought a brand new house,
instead of an old house that is new to us…..
You could not
build sand castles
in my crawl space
or have a popcorn ceiling
rain down on you
to celebrate Todd’s 30th birthday.

If I brought a brand new house,
instead of an old house that is new to us…..
my yard would be a bare patch of mud,
waiting for sod

And I would not have stood under
full grown trees
while my neighbor Rosemary
(in her bare feet)
taught me
how to prune
my rosebushes.

Which grow down the side of my driveway,
just like the house we lived in
when I was very small.