The Ancient House by Ashley Bullen-Cutting

i was called in at nights 
(close during the day? don’t be silly)
threading alleys with undesirable
flag-bearers of jack and jameson 
gargling threshold sleepers
for the betterment of commerce

i was called in to renovate
postmodern patchups
temporally blurring
the bygone with the near-flung
taking a hammer to heritage
for the betterment of commerce

make me whole    
creaked winding stairwells
that peaked in attics vacuous 
laden with tote, blender and dry-fasts
leeching all identity 
franchise vampires
wood-worming history
for the betterment of commerce

i was called in to prettify
install faux-wooden walkways
align tattooed beam-veins
splinter the premodern
eradicating the singular
consumer eyesores 
for the betterment of commerce

in between swings 
i take comfort from discomfort
there’s only so much i can do
to an amputee phoenix
sinking into disrepair

& sometimes it sticks
sometimes i believe it
then a low-hanging pack of liquorice falls 
the ancient house shuffling at
revisionist heresy 
ignominious synergy

____________________________________________________________

Ashley Bullen-Cutting is a writer concerned with Weird, Eco, Gothic and Queer. He likes painting his nails and the chaotic dreams that reading Lovecraft before bed produce. His work has been published in Isacoustic, Riggwelter, Lonesome October Lit and Three Drops Poetry. @abullencutting