I KNOW THIS MAN

He strikes hammer against siding,
no more clear intent than to beat
a drum, arouse the demon in the basement to open the door
and flee, test wall's strength
or pound long enough
to bring down walls,
expose hidden guilt
and start fresh on old
foundations. He strikes a clock's
rhythm, melds muscle with time's
passage. Whether razing his house
or repairing, both measure time,
until he stops and steps back.
The change lies between him
and his house when he returns inside,
followed by hammer's echo.

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