The Spirit in the House

There is a spirit that dwells in my house
invisible, but always felt by the one
who is most vulnerable, it seems to offer
comfort but it is a jealous spirit

and before the victim knows what happened
they’ve lost the will to venture out
content to stay in the warm embrace
of this unholy creature, who substitutes

safety against the challenges of life
holing up in the quiet of four walls.
I suspected it when we first moved in,
the previous owners, she was a fabric designer,

he a psychiatrist, with a good name but
got caught by this spirit and then stopped
going to work, couldn’t do his job
preferred isolation of his own accord.

Stayed hidden away until his wife forced

them to move but the spirit stayed behind,

it caught my oldest son for a time,

he hunkered in, refused to do what he needed

until he was forced out, and once the hold

was broken he was doing what he should.

My niece stayed for awhile, she felt the pull

and broke it early, she recognized the spirit

from one that trapped her mother, didn’t

want anything to do with it, so she was

out of the house and on her way before

she was truly ready but a wise move

on her part. I was always busy until I retired

then the spirit grabbed me for awhile,

I didn’t mind, I was tired and could use the rest

then my sister, moved in and it grabbed her instead.

The time has come to force her out,

not because we don’t want what’s best for her

but because she must break through

to her better self, away from the spirit

that dwells in the house, who holds on tight

and doesn't want to let her go.