Artwork: Act 9 by Gill Robinson

Always More Than Clearing Up
Gina Wisker

Rotting, paralysed, drowning
blind
and angry
the mansion owner still
believes himself all powerful.
Lurking, delusional,
as it all collapses he’s
oblivious to debt, to death
and doubt.
He carries a sledgehammer,
hungry for the next opportunity
to bring the house down.

While on the sidelines
and in the wings
beside the pillars and the winding staircases
beyond the deluge and destruction
of this collapsing, patriarchal pile
I wait patiently
with mop and bucket.
Stoic.
Planning.
Keeping my feet dry
above the drowning.
My eyes alert
on a window open
to the sunlight outside.