the same house

i do i drive by the old house.

the brick

duplex

in the hood of glassmanor,

oxon hill, maryland.

it's the house where i lived

from the age of eight

to nineteen.

it looks the same.

the same sad

shrubs, the broken window.

the graffiti stained

brick.

the peeling paint and

the chain link

fence.

metal trash cans

in the broken driveway.

there's a new kid looking

out from the door.

another baby

in diapers on the porch.

another woman

looking out

from over the sink

to where our car slows down.

nothing has changed.

just the people and

maybe the lock on the door.