you linger in the air like a slight tinge of mildew
let alone for too long, allowed to solder
and seep into the cracks in my exterior

i had a cold, you see
that is why i was unable to sniff you out
why costumed men didn't come in immediately
and try to starve you away

my parents, they tried
i was too brazen to let them
so certain that this brand of mold wouldn't be harmful

but--who was i kidding--
not even myself
i knew better, i've known better
i'll always know better

and i think that somehow that makes it worse
that i finally took care of this infuriating mildew
and still it lingers in the cracks, pores, floorboards

it's grown into the couch pillows, and yellowed the walls
it climbs up the basement steps and sucks out the air
it causes me to drag my feet and stumble through my words

and i think that maybe
the only solution for this old house
is for it to be torn down