Before sunrise, like an apparition,
Uncle shuffles back and forth,
sshh-sshh, sshh-sshh, sliding slippers
along the tile floor, past the dog
lapping water from a metal dish,
plap-plap ding, plap-plap ding,
plap-plap, plap-plap… the hall echoes
with the sounds of being quiet.
This memory of a recent family visit is brought to you by Word of the Day Challenge.