Raphael's Village

A witty poem by a new contributor we found rather too relatable...but in a good way. Poetry Editor

ODE TO AN ABODE (FAREWELL, PAINTED LADY), by A.E. Skalitza


I stand in front of you, my queen;
so beautiful and so serene.
You weren't always so august,
in fact, you almost turned to dust.

For years I wished to dwell with you
but pay was nil and jobs were few.
I watched with love as you grew old,
you were my passion; am I too bold?

As time passed your beams bagged,
foundation cracked, crumbled, sagged.
Many seasons of snow and rain
soaked through your broken window panes.

Mold and mildew grew in grout,
finding places fresh to sprout.
And always, always, I came to see
the once-grand lady who needed me.

Crumbling chimney, peeling paint,
I never once gave complaint.
Doors warping, bricks falling,
I didn’t mind graffiti scrawling.

Then one day money spoke,
and I became your little joke.
Windows scrubbed, plaster fixed,
my love for you was now deep-sixed.

Your clapboard siding sports new paint
to make yourself look truly quaint.
I miss your worn out, run-down blight
and now I mourn. Are you contrite?

Your rent is astronomical;
it borders on the comical.
In doing so, you ostracize
with the term “revitalize.”

I cannot afford your renaissance;
please accept my nonchalance.
A three-room cutie down the street
has caught my eye and we shall meet.

Farewell!