Poem #20 from The Book of Evenings
Back to: The Book of Evenings – Introduction
it is a sock
a grey school-sock
from one of the boys
on the mat outside the front door
curious
herd the boys in
set the packages down
start the kettle
a cup of tea and then
.
.
.
.
the window is open
not much
but open
it wasn’t left like that
slowly
to the bedroom
knick-knacks
from the bedside cupboard
huddled on the floor
another sock
drawers open
the bed oddly angled
some things look different
some the same
surreal
the lounge room
empty CD holder
the spare bedroom
no lap-top
game-boy and DVDs gone
a backpack
unable to be accounted
mess on the floor
nothing broken
just mess
a vague awareness of absence
prickling
send the boys to the neighbors
I SAID NOW
check all the rooms
under beds
in cupboards
never mind what’s gone
make sure no-one is there
call the police
no tidying till they get there
only a few hours
wait
learn that socks
eliminate fingerprints
the backpack carries the take
this happens
all the time
there is no danger
don’t forget to do the insurance
in the morning
put it out of your mind
go to bed
rest easy
© Frank Prem 2003
The Book of Evenings Poem #21: identification from height
Frank Prem Poetry 
Hope this wasn’t an actual experience.🙃
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As real as real. Pretty spooky/scary, as I recall.
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There is nothing as unsettling as walking into a situation or place, like home, and knowing something is slightly off, making the realization and then, after the fact, sitting with thanks that no one was home or hurt – but that lingering unease, the sense of violation …. wow, does it leave a very long and bitter and off weirdness in the air and mind.
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Pretty spooky, for sure. And the feeling of ick just will not go away.
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it does linger … 😦
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