I put my wife into the earth

Just three days before

the night she came rapping

rapping at my door

***

I placed her back in her plot

“Oh God,” I cried

“No more”

“Please keep my love from rising

No more rapping at my door”

***

The next night

round the witching hour

just like the night before

I was awakened from my slumber

by rapping on my door

***

I rolled my eyes and cursed out loud

as my bare feet touched the floor

I donned my clothes

I grabbed my shovel

so I may bury her once more

***

I led her to the cemetery

and set about my chore

to dig for her a deeper plot

much deeper than before

***

As the morning light touched my back

I buried her in once more

Then, tired as a man could be

I walked back to my door

***

Two evenings passed in silence

just like the nights before

my love began to haunt me

by rapping at my door

***

“Oh, thank you, Lord for helping”

“I will ask for nothing more”

“Just keep my love from rapping

rapping at my door”

***

But

on the third night she returned again

it was half the way to four

In the dark, I heard her rapping

rapping at my door

***

I opened the door

stood aside

I could think to do no more

“If you refuse to stay in your grave, my love

come in, be mine, as before”

***

She grunted and growled as she walked in

She went right to the bathroom door

She opened the door

and I saw the red light

of her curling iron on the floor

***

She snatched it up and pulled the plug

Its light went dark once more

Then,

dragging the iron by the cord

she walked back out my door