for sale

the for sale
sign is planted
deep into the fresh
green sod, mums
bloom yellow in a pot
sitting on the stoop,
a bright metal
sign swings with
a happy squeak in
the april breeze.
and the hedges are
trimmed, the grass
is cut. the windows
have been washed
to a sparkling shine,
the rooms have
all been cleaned,
the pinch of ammonia
hangs in the air,
and the clutter
removed to places
that won't be seen.
even the refrigerator
holds just the basics.
it's amazing how
we tidy up to rid
ourselves of the old
and to get something
new and yet
when in the middle
of old love, or like,
or something inbetween
we tend to let
things go, the dust to
gather and the mold
like rust, to spread,
to seep beneath
our emotions and grow.