We called it the pirate house

With a spiral staircase

And a trap door

And a tree house in the yard

 

I loved it from the second I stepped inside

It was wonderful and strange

A hodgepodge from those who came before

 

We’d pretend the trees in the yard were a jungle

And that we were adventurers

Never touching the ground

 

I taught myself to slide down the bannister

Into a room that forever smelled like burning wood

Step out into a world bathed in snow

Or soaked in rain

Or covered in summer spiders

 

I grieved that house when we left

Like leaving behind an old friend

I hope whoever comes next

Loves the spiral staircase

And the trap door

And the tree house

Just as much as we did