shocked

the cupboard was done up
on the outside
in the brightest of colours

the house it was part of
was filled each day
with its loud exclamations

the sun looked in gladly
one morning and
fled (incredibly) dazzled

puzzled the people stared
up at the sun
nursing cursing its blindness

and many rumours spread.....
a cupboard that
had power to outshine the sun

must surely breed gold or
something godlike
behind such a brilliant door

a delegation was picked
to discover
the cupboard's bright secret

deep in the night it crept
into the house
awed even then by the glow

after much whispering one
was pushed forward
to throw the blazing door wide

inside was black (dread black)
with a smell of
dry rot to fetch up old ghosts

the delegates trampled
each other down
in their haste to be first out

not one of them sensing
at the back of
the third shelf down from the top

a small figure sucking
its thumb; rocking
(shocked) to and fro like a cradle

next day the whole house-front
was found done up
in the brightest of colours