The Emu Caller

An  Emu Caller painted on native Australian timber

takes pride of place on the polished mantle.

Beside the forty-two inch flatscreen,

a miniature Canadian log cabin squats,

complete with dusty sycamore flag.

Their grandfather clock ticks relentlessly

through the emptiness of the pristine house

but it seems it is only to be his winding

that will keep it sounding now.

At six, the automated click of the central 

heating as the gas boiler comes on,

and the creaking of the shrunken house,

as it prepares for the visitors that might come.

All those that enter here, are now known as visitors.

A pained glance at the kitchen table,

ignoring the laptop left permanently open,

waiting for Skype and its reminder

that nothing dear can be held forever.

'Will I put the kettle on Mary?

There’s no one online, yet.'

                                  © niall oconnor 2015