The sky opens up before your eye <br />And the rain comes pouring from the sky. <br />There's an old tree tap-tap-tapping on the door; <br />It's that tap-tap-tapping you abhor. <br />The faucet's drip-drip-dripping in a sink that's never clean <br />When the landlord's knock-knock-knocking on a door without a screen. <br />The television's crack-crack-crackling because the picture's never clear; <br />There's the Bible on a table that'll soon break down, you fear. <br />The mattress creak-creak-creaking as you shift in bed at night <br />Beside an old and grimy window never showing any light. <br />Day in, day out, you sit beside a fire with no heat; <br />Chopping wood with those old arms would be quite a feat. <br />The ceiling beams are wormy, and eaten up with time, <br />But they just may be strong enough to hold a woven line. <br />Loft it up and over, yes, and tie it good and tight. <br />You won't be sleeping in this hell-hole by tomorrow night. <br />A rickety chair beneath you may not hold up long enough <br />To slip the cord over your head and feel its texture, rough <br />Against your skin; tightening it slowly as you pray, <br />'Dear Lord, may you guide me to a new and better day.'<br /><br />Elizabeth Sheaffer<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/can-death-come-calling-if-you-don-t-have-a-telephone/
