Shut In/A Mothers Love

I peer through the scope on the door
at the man across the street mowing
his lawn for the third time this week
and I know he is waiting for me to
come out but I won't because I know
he means to do me harm in some
horrible way. I just stand and watch.


They are everywhere, the harm-doers.
They're in the houses and in the cars
and in the planes overhead and the
trains below. They are always watching,
always waiting for just a moment. That's
all they need, just a moment to make their
move. That's what mom used to say.


I went to school when I was young
because the people told my mom I
had to and the harmers would point
and whisper and wait around walls.
I would tell my mom when I got home
and she would say that they'll get theirs
and I wonder if they ever did get theirs.


They think they have the upper hand
because they can listen through the TV
and see through the walls but I leave
the TV on static and have painted the
inner walls black and never turn on
the lights so they cannot do either.
Mom taught me to be smart like that.


I only go out late at night to the grocery
store once a month to get my food because
even bad people have to sleep. I have the
food delivered and left outside my door.
I don't drive because hurters drive and I
can hide to there and back and they never
even know I was out. Mom would be proud.


I know that eventually they will get me
because there are so many of them and
I'm alone because Mom hasn't been awake
for a very long time and I don't even go to
her room anymore because she just lays
there and I have to make sure they don't
get to her so I just wait and watch and wait
and watch and wait and watch............