Footsteps Circling The House

The hallway clock has lost a tooth It skips the hour, then tells the truth I left one glass beside the sink It holds the shape of someone’s drink The upstairs boards complain in pairs Though every bedroom stands bare I count the steps from door to stair They stop whenever I look there Then start again behind my chair There are footsteps circling the house Slow on the landing, soft by the couch I hold my breath; they borrow mine And keep their place just out of sight There are footsteps circling the house I lock the door, they’re already inside The kettle clicks without a flame A voice in the pipe repeats my name I check the latch; the chain hangs still Something walks the windowsill I count the steps from door to stair They stop whenever I look there Now one is waiting at the bed Close enough to know I’m awake There are footsteps circling the house Slow on the landing, soft by the couch I hold my breath; they borrow mine And keep their place just out of sight There are footsteps circling the house I lock the door, they’re already inside If I stay still, will it pass me by? If I say “come in,” will it ask me why? The floor gives way beneath no one A second shadow joins my own There are footsteps circling the house Now in the hallway, now all around I hold my breath; it breathes in time And wears my voice when I say “I’m fine” There are footsteps circling the house I turn the key, there’s no one outside The clock skips once The floor answers twice I hear my feet Walk away Santiago Flores