Tree, House

Why did they buy the big house
that stands alone in the middle of nowhere?
Are they hiding from something?

There’s no internet signal, of course.
Nor mobile reception.  They bought
long before such things were dreamed of.

Perhaps all they need is the two
of them and an unobstructed view.
I hope they’ve got lots of books.

Talk. Paint. Draw. Play records.
They probably both smoke (roll ups)
and start boozing by lunchtime.

Have they any family? Maybe.
A son and daughter who visit once a year,
with the  grandkids? At Christmas.

Or in the summer when they’re not confined
to the smoke-filled rooms and can roam
around that landscape and reminisce

about their own childhood there
where they climbed the one available tree.
They pacify their own kids with the promise

that it’s only for a few days and soon
they’ll be back in the land of the living
where there’s TV and all their gadgets work.