my last castle

Oatmeal is the key
to a strong foundation

boil the water
add the oats
and wait

for perfection
takes time and butter
salt. sugar

cream. then, we build from there
and sing Sinatra as the hammers fall
the screws twist
the nails slide
and we are home there
with shingles and two-by-fours

not concrete below,
the soft comfort of well cooked oats
the thousand memories of dawn
by water's edge -- this is firm enough

This will be our salvation.

The first signs of doom
are breath and breathing
followed soon by carefully considered
heartbeats. When it collapses
i do not cry
i turn my back

take one last whiff of brown sugar
and leave forever.