A Psalm of Abraham of That Which Was Visited…

A prowler in the mansion of my blood!

I have not seen him, but I know his signs.

Sometimes I hear him meddling with my food,

Or in the cellar, poisoning my wines, ⁠—

Yet face to face with him I never come;

But by a foot print, by a book misplaced,

Or by the imprint of an inky thumb,

Or by the next day’s meal, a strange new taste,

I know that he has breached my household peace,

I know that somehow he has let him in.

Shall I fling open a window, and shout Police!

I dare not. He is of my kith and kin.

Copyright Credit: A. M. Klein, "A Psalm of Abraham of That Which Was Visited Upon Him" from Complete Poems, edited by Zailig Pollock. Copyright © 2002 by the University of Toronto Press, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of the publishers.