The beige carpet in the hallway
is dark with spreading wet
feet fetid socks soaked
my sister and I hide
outside when the bunk beds
earthquake on their own again
those pairs of hands silent
on the stairs staring
unrelenting as mint as
the rotten pears that pool and picket
the fence everyone else
sitting in a circle in the basement
arms linked heads swivel
to me doorway a-clutch
(No, there is nothing
wrong with the floor)
they said they’re saying