Thief

We had a thief to clean our house

And she really did clean us out.

I didn't lock up my jewelry. 

So, she took the pieces away,

And replaced them with tawdry fakes.

But I didn't notice at all

Because I had sleep apnea.

So, I walked in a haze all day.

It wasn't only jewelry.

She helped herself to ornaments 

Hanging on our Christmas tree.

And a pair of pewter mushrooms,

That were salt and pepper shakers.

And a hundred dollar bill and

My dad's old wallet that I'd kept,

After he died,

With a photo of mom inside.

In the end we stopped the service. 

Then I heaved a sigh of relief

To be fully done with that thief.

But one day I was going through 

My son's night table, just to see

Where else her light fingers had been

After everything you wouldn't think

That anything could touch me when

I saw the empty box and knew 

She'd swiped his baptism candle, too.