Nancy Scott McBride’s most recent poem to appear here was “Re-Cycling” (May 2018). 

The Exception
By Nancy Scott McBride

This morning, in the house,
everything is as it should be.
The mantel clock tick-tocks regularly
and chimes the hour on cue.
Two cats lie snuggled together on the couch.
The bed is made, green plants are watered,
and fresh laundry is folded and put away.
Something for dinner is out of the freezer and
thawing on the kitchen counter.
The daily paper was picked up and
waits in the hall to be read.
Our thermostat is adjusted to accommodate
a sudden cold snap, and lighted lamps
do their best to brighten a dark day.
I am in my usual spot, working the
crossword puzzle and writing in my journal.
Everywhere in the house, all is in order.
Everything is in its expected place,
its long-familiar place,
its sweet old space,
everything, that is, except you.