Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Through an Open Window

For my mother, open windows invite
thieves, even small windows
upstairs. In summer
suburbia, we slept
with first floor bedroom windows closed
though any housebreaker would know
how to pick the lock
on the back kitchen door.


Open Window for Poetry Thursday

Another interpretation on the theme can be found at Crafty Green Poet

20 comments:

daisies said...

i have read this four times now, the flow is perfection, there is something beautifully compelling about it, love it!! xox

Anonymous said...

I have experienced this. That was so claustrobhobic.

Crafty Green Poet said...

Daisies - wow thanks!

Gautami - definitely claustraphobic!

patti said...

Sad, but true in the cities. I like this, very direct.

I can't post to PT for some reason, but please visit me at http://wtmu.blogspot.com/

Jessica said...

I like this -- this is really cool and very tightly written.

paisley said...

very nice and ever so true... in my case it was grandma... but what is up with all that fear????

GreenishLady said...

Such a sharp and succinct observation. Brings me back, too. We lived in a bungalow, so the rule was "no windows open at night", and I still find it difficult to sleep with an open window at times.

Anonymous said...

I can relate. We grew up in a bunker, everything doubled locked ans sweltering.

Deb said...

Well Crafted...it reads so beautifully, alound. The sounds. The pairing of the third & fourths lines. All those 'k's in the last two.

And of course, the thought is just right. I like this a great deal.

Constance Brewer said...

This is wonderful, such a perfect slice of life!

carole said...

I so sympathise with the sentiment in this poem. beautifully done.

Anonymous said...

This reminded me of my mother. I personally love to keep windows open and let the fresh air in thieves or not.

wendy said...

oh, the brilliance of the criminal mind, and the futility of the fearful one.

great poem.

Tumblewords: said...

I can vouch for the fact that breaking in is easier than breaking out! I like the rhythm of this poem and the line breaks are so fitting!

sister AE said...

Ah, how the power of our emotions can overrule logic! I like this poem a lot.

Annie Jeffries said...

All I could feel was the heat because of unopened windows. It must have been so HOT. But the feeling made it very alive for me.

Tammy Brierly said...

Your poem's imagery brought back my youth in the city. I felt the heat from your words.

Anonymous said...

This resonates, very well done, thanks.

Odessa said...

oh goodness, this was my mother too! even in sweltering summer she would carefully check all windows before going to sleep.

i love how you were able to tell a story in such clean, short lines. beautiful.

A wildlife gardener said...

This made me smile, taking me back to the time of my youth, when my mum felt the same way as yours :)