Derelict dad avoided the chore
He had more fun at the house next door
Couldn’t fix the pipes, the paint, the roof
His love had left, our home was proof
House not a home, just a war zone
Wills at odds, nasty tones
Broken down from the base to jetty
Called each other mean and petty
Sharp points flew from hinges rotten
No nook to hide for the little misbegotten
©2017 E. R. Smith
Bronx Beyond Borders 