a winter that wasn’t
there is a package on the doorstep
but nobody is home to accept it
another package is added to the first
and then another and yet another
letterbox has slowly been filling
and gradually overflows
passersby notice the accumulation
their curiosity growing
some thinking they can hear telephone
ringing and ringing and ringing
a grey tiger gazes out picture window
but nobody seems to notice how
desperate she may be
eventually thieves pick up the packages
and empty the letterbox
eventually cat abandons window sill
weeks go by
followed by people coming and going
gradually things seem to change for the better
the color of the siding
the style of the windows
the vehicles parked in the carport
come springtime there are children
playing in the backyard
and the people strolling by
are once again smiling
january two thousand eighteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
jdubqca 
eventually thieves pick up the packages
and empty the letterbox
eventually the cat abandons the window sill
Wow. Wow! Love the letter E usage, love that sense of loss as it happens. Well done!!
thank you very much, Elle
this piece is just so mesmerizing… keeps me coming back to read it again and again. beautifully crafted… the subtle melancholia really grabs on. thank you for sharing!
thank you for visiting and leaving your lovely comments – wishing you the best in our writing and reading experiences
Same to you! 🙂
Great piece. Bravo
Thank you very much.
just tell me the cat made it out okay.
that’s pretty much a given 😉
oh, thank god!!!! 😉
Days of our lives….
thank you for commenting….
And here I sit humming Eleanor Rigby…. “all the lonely people…”
another favorite of mine – interesting connection
This is lovely!! Very much a story… and reality too. It’s strange how long situations and people can stay the same, and yet, suddenly totally change… I’m looking at something very similar in my own neighbourhood. Sad, but also joyful… life is a strange mix of feelings and events. 🙂
Thanks for visiting and sharing your thoughts again, Suzy. It’s always a pleasure knowing you have stopped by again,
I think this now is one of my favorites of yours! -Alan
Many thanks, Alan. Always a pleasure having you visit here.