He has a walk-through bedroom, in between
his parents’ and the kitchen’s narrow end.
(Their flat is old – Victorian or Queen
Anne modified to serve the housing trend).
The woodwork is original – the doors
have panels, knobs and holes for vintage keys.
I follow Sam around when he explores –
he’s 3 years old and tells me what he sees.

It’s normal that he’s nervous in his bed
alone at night – of course he’s vigilant.
Examining his walls and doors instead
of sleeping, one keyhole’s an instrument
for checking on his folks’ activities.
He says he’d like a bigger keyhole, please.