The wallpaper peels in places that have held the touch of too many hands,
and the floorboard of the 4th step creaks under the weight of my return.
The shutters won’t shut
The locks won’t lock
The hallway echoes Christmases past, long nights at work, and warm embraces when friends visit.
There are words on the tip of your tongue, and none of them are for me.
“You can’t come home anymore”
