Narrated by Val Cole

READ POEM:

We drove for two hours
to the badlands of Cleveland
searching the streets and the alleys
just to find our way
to find a safe way
into The House of Wills.

We were met with armed guards
all meant to protect us
milling the grounds and
defending the building and
they dissuaded the worst that would come
from attacking the models
as we all collected in the lot at
The House of Wills.

It was cold and broken and
old and hurting but
its energy glowed in warm light
I felt no fear and
no apprehension, just wonder
for all I would find,
deep within
The House of Wills.
It didn’t take long
for those inside there
to make their intentions known
they only did so for so few among us
and I was welcomed as one of their own
I was gifted with offerings
so simple and humble
and embraced by
The House of Wills

Respect was my mantra
respect was my prayer and
I treated their home as my own
what once looked broken and
what once looked abandoned
lifted to life on its own
something so simple as
the flicking of ashes
out the window instead of the floor
endeared my spirit to
The House of Wills and
it called me as one of its own.

Deep down in the morgue or
up in Mr. Wills’ bedroom,
the Doll Room, the balcony and stairs
all seemed so different but
not one bit unnerving and I
roamed the halls as a welcomed guest
of those that still live there and
those that still love there
me so far removed from
all of the rest.

But back to the Doll Room
again and again
in there I felt a warmth and a draw
so back to the Doll Room and
within its power
I felt all the family and
I felt all its pain and
I offered a solemn acceptance and prayer
and for all of my wishes and
all of my gestures
I was given a gift of my own.

One of my many blessings from
The Ghosts of
The House of Wills.

When it came time to leave
I was almost saddened
still I walked away better than most
I collected my gifts and
I left my own offering in a
gesture of thanks and respect
a sadness for leaving and a
wonder receiving all that
changed hands that day and
my heart was now full and
my spirit was easing
as I waved to all my new friends.

Some came to visit and
stayed for some time and
they came to me
inside of my dreams
we talked and we smoked
and sat down at tables
playing cards and discussing this life.

All of it wisdom and
none of it nightmare and
all of it welcoming love
I was accepted and
I was supported
as wonders were drawn and exposed
those wonders and questions
that keep us all guessing and
push all the blood to the flow
but here they all were now and
here they were offered
on the table on top
of the cards.

I dreamt that I bought it
and now it was mine this
wonderful beautiful place
I dreamt that I owned it and
made it my home and
I returned to
The House of Wills.

I chased out the vagrants
with the help of old friends and
transients rushed down my halls
scared to bejesus and
scared of unknowns and
they ran out until there were none
all of them gone but
all of us still there
settling into our new home.

We were now all together
in dreams and in Dolls
in balconies, altars and pews
we now lived together
complete and content
embraced by
The House of Wills.

Get to know the poet:

1) What is the theme of your poem?

It's a theme of acceptance and respect for the unknown and unseen and all of the new friends that may be there.

2) What motivated you to write this poem?

I wrote this poem after a visit to The House of Wills for a modelling photo-shoot. Not only did I experience some extraordinary events, but they seemed to follow me home and have stayed with me ever since.

3) How long have you been writing poetry?

Several years

4) If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?

Winston Churchill

5) What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?

I find it interesting to hear my words in someone else's voice...it lends a degree of merit to them.

6) Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?
I write essays, blogs, short stories, novellas and novels as well.

7) What is your passion in life?

Feeling it and Living it