Sestina

There once was a big white house.

Here lived Thomas and Alison with their dog.

Surrounding their yard was a long, brown fence.

One day a man came and knocked on their door;

The man wore sunglasses and a black suit.

Alison got up from the couch to go

See the man before they go

Across the country to Tom’s mother’s house.

In her hand were cards of her favorite suit:

Spade. This is where they got the name for their dog.

She put down the cards and unlocked the door,

But the man had moved, he was by the fence

His right hand was on the fence

His left held a book and he began to go

Towards the steps and up to the open door.

There Ali stood, the man approaching her house.

With each step he took, Spade, the french bull-dog,

Barked vigorously at the man in the suit.

The book was tucked in his suit.

Spade was jumping and scratching at the brown fence,

grabbing the attention of every dog

And person who then decided to go

And take a stroll passed the Hollanberg’s house

To see a man approach Ali at the door.

Sweat dripped as she gripped the door.

There was nothing to stop the man in the suit

From greeting her on the porch of her house.

She looked at her neighbors over the fence

To signal her distress and that they should go

get the police and warn them to bring their dog.

Spade was howling. The poor dog

Just wanted to save his owner at the door

From what the man might do before they go

And visit Tom’s mom in a similar suit

To the one that the man was wearing. The fence

Was starting to break all around the house,

Since their dog tried to stop the man in the suit.

She slammed the door; he hung a note on the fence:

“Please go and worship our Lord in His house.”