TAKING INVENTORY

Image…

a thing so small,

almost invisible

with teeth,

that gnaws away

at the core

of something.

This eating away issue

is subtle, it is slow, 

and goes entirely unnoticed 

until, let’s say,

a cabinet shelf gives way

or a door hinge—no longer able

to hold its screws—comes loose.

These are the tell-tale signs

that something is amiss.

So you call an inspector

to come take a look,

to take an inventory of sorts,

to get to the root of the matter.

The news is not good.

The whole foundation

is rotten. Termites.

Fucking bottom-feeders,

detritivores, you think to yourself,

destroyed the integrity of

your whole damn house.

Now what…?

You will need to do more than

curse out the little buggers,

blame the termites

and their tiny little teeth

for the damage done.

Much more.