The ants came out on the second day.
And the leaky faucet.

The windows without screens.

A lack of three-prong outlets in the kitchen,
where they’re needed, and their excess
in closets where they’re not.

The creak in the floorboards.
This loose door handle.
That lock that won’t stay set.

The shy shower with its brave attempt
at “on.”

Window sashes slamming shut, hung on ropes
that gave up the ghost five tenants ago.

But what’s a girl to do?

By then, you’d already called me baby.
It was love at first walk-through.

I am here to stay.