tear down the ivy wallpaper,

scratch up the carpet.

rip apart the old sofa,

break old picture frames.

go out where your trike used to rest

and take a sledge hammer to the weak concrete.

yank the garden archway out of the dry soil,

kick up old decorative stones.

if the old woman to the left comes out afraid,

tell her to go back inside and watch television.

if the family to the right wander over

tell them to take their son back to bed.

some might call the police,

and that's just fine

because the pain tied to this house

is uncomparable to a charge with vandilism.