I visited my cottage yesterday.
I saw the shape of bathroom, kitchen, shed,
selected tones of grout, forgot to stay
to dump the mail, and caught a lift instead
to this my temporary lodging place,
supplied without a deadline by a friend
I’m getting used to living with. Home base
is shifted south for now, and I contend
with ventilation sounds instead of rain,
with window glass that only faces west,
a year-old cat we cannot seem to train,
a fold-out bed that serves as sofa best.
But honestly, the change that strikes me most
is how I treasure hours with my host.