318 Nassau Street (1982)

 A center entrance colonial from 1920,

set on a secluded one block street,

spacious and newly decorated

with a large yard and lovely trees,

it seemed the classic home

until we tried to turn on the furnace

and made acquaintance with the bats.

At last we found a friendly roofer

who plugged the holes along the eaves,

the first in a parade of artisans

who installed a modern heating system,

remodeled the Eisenhower era kitchen,

dealt with the antique wiring

and solved a number of plumbing nightmares.

The trillium came up every spring,

but we found that we did not have talents

for the creation of beautiful lawns,

nor an interest in large scale entertainments

as practiced by socially ambitious neighbors,

but it was a house with lovely corners

where each of us could be at ease.

The children learned to drive and date,

one career almost foundered as another began,

we managed to civilize several puppies,

and we met people whose friendship

has lasted for the rest of our lives,

all in a place of generous shelter

during years of continuous motion,

when everything was happening at once.