Terracotta Tiles

The red roof sags 
all of the terracotta tiles have slipped

and the cast iron gutter 
collapsed under its own weight 

drips rainwater onto the plant pot below
with a metronomic commitment

to its own faulty habit
pillows of moss hug the porous tile

with all of their undeniable 
softness of being 

and even the wintergreen
has found all the gulleys and the valleys

made habitable
by rotting autumn leaves

the general lack
of structural integrity

and all of the other
constant reminders that I am not there 

when I should be