outside the window

in
the
cool autumn rain
they
seem
to stand
just on the other side
of
tempered glass
revving the engines
of
the unnecessary
lawn implements

just pulling
the
throttle

in the living room

six fans
dehumidifier
roar
like
a swarm
of
angry locusts
in
a holding pattern
my own
personal
white noise generator

the stress
gave me
a
cluster headache

the cacophonous screaming

pushes it
to
a
panic attack
because
i just
need
a moment’s

peace

soon
they will return
to install
the
new
hot water heater

i
will have to
feign
being human

again