The Neighbors

 

The walls are wearing thin.

I can hear the neighbors.

Listen to them talk,

and fight,

and fuck.

Every word.

Verbatim.

Used to be so quiet here.

No one around

except us

and our dreams

and petty problems.

Seems like

the world showed up

and moved in next door.

I’d call the landlord and complain,

but he doesn’t

return my calls.

The bathroom sink

has needed fixing

for a while

and the roof

leaks

a little

when it rains.

There they go again.

It starts off small,

and then escalates

until they’re screaming

at each other.

I hear doors slam,

and it’s quiet

for a while.

Then there’s

the rhythmic thump

of reconciliation.

I’ve tried calling the cops

a couple of times.

They seem disinterested

and never send a car.

I’ve never been worried

enough myself

to go over and knock.

It’s more of an annoyance,

than a threat.

It used to be

so peaceful here.

We didn’t even know

we had neighbors

for the longest time.

The walls

are wearing thin.

Now, we practically live

in the same world

as each other.

I wonder

if it was meant to be this way?

 

 

DJR – 2022

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