(Mattie Furphy House)
It was very very dark
There was a tiny crack
I couldn’t tell the time
I heard the trains start
I woke wishing it was morning
I slept in the windowless room
Having many thoughts I lay awake
I heard the trains and traffic start
At 6am it was bright for three seconds
I woke thinking it must be daylight by now
It was city light on the other side of the door
I slept in the windowless room, the womb room
Having many thoughts I lay awake for at least an hour
There was a tiny crack of light under the door to the bathroom
I slept in the windowless room, the womb room, the warm room
In the early light in the kitchen a ghost from the cellar rattled about
I couldn’t tell the time by the quality of the light because there was none
To exclude draughts I had put rolled towels blocking the gap under each door
At 6am it was bright for three seconds as I used my torch to look at my watch
When finally I went to the bathroom it was ocean cold on the other side of the door
In the early light in the kitchen a mouse rattled about and ate the expensive biscuits
When finally I went to the bathroom it was city light cold on the bookless side of the door
To exclude draughts I had put rolled towels blocking the gap under each door but the one to the bathroom
If there’s a ghost it’s in the womb room with its empty coat-cupboard not the cellar with its paint-tins