More Than Another Abandoned House by Richard LeDue

Paint faded like an old photograph,
doors closed, tight as dead eyes,
yet curtains opened enough
to keep me politely looking,
but wary to approach too close
because part of me clutches hope
(inside clenched fists,
next to the thin air that devours us all),
and waits for a sign of life.

Richard LeDue (he/him) currently lives in Norway House, Manitoba. He has been published in various places online and in print. He is the author of five books of poetry. His fifth book, “Dollar Store Blues and Other Cheap Words,” was published in 2022 from Alien Buddha Press.

A Lawyer and a Niece by Richard LeDue

In a garden, among dead roses,
they talked of the deceased owner,
who neither never really knew,
but still laughed at her spoon collection.
A lawyer and a niece, hoping
to find an answer to loneliness,
while the house was dilapidated
like a question replayed in a mind
that could never accept the “no,”
years old,
leaving just enough behind
to justify spending money on a will
and snubbing her sister's husband

one last time.

Richard LeDue (he/him) currently lives in Norway House, Manitoba. He has been published in various places online and in print, and is a Best of the Net nominee. His first chapbook was released in 2020, and a second and third chapbook in 2021. As well, his fourth chapbook, “People More Famous Than Me,” was published in early 2022 from Alien Buddha Press.

Written in Autumn / Empty as Your Abandoned Heart by Richard LeDue

 Written In Autumn

They want another love poem,

something about roses in spring

or summer, but never in winter,

when leafless branches dance

in cold wind, like skeletons

in grainy black and white cartoons,

and fingers are patient as earthworms,

digging into solitude 

to find the kind of touch 

that turns pages red from paper cuts, 

but never passion,

while we lie to ourselves about our loneliness

being watered from being too scared

to look at the blue eyes, 

who saw the dirt beneath our fingernails, 

and still smiled. 

Empty as Your Abandoned Heart

A stranger nonchalantly tries the front door,

knob cold against a hand

that doesn't worry about wearing a glove

or the last sounds a lock makes

before it dies.

The family photos left to dust, and no one

argues over belongings or who gets the house-

the retirement you bragged about

murdered by the silence that inherited your home,

just like you killed hours with outdated sitcoms,

but at least you made sure to make your bed

on the last day of your life.

And the dresser drawers are dumped

first, looking for money, jewelry,

anything unwanted of value, 

while the closets are full of clothes

that'll never be filled again.

Richard LeDue (he/him) currently lives in Norway House, Manitoba. He is a Best of the Net nominee. His first chapbook was released in 2020, and a second chapbook in 2021. As well, his third chapbook, “The Kind of Noise Worth Writing Down,” was released in October 2021 from Kelsay Books.