Interior With Loose Hardware

2am and I needed water.

The knob just spun in its collar,

the spindle loose inside the mechanism,

the door not locked—

I want to be clear about that,

it was not locked—

just not opening.

I stood there longer than the situation called for.

My hand went warm on the brass.

I thought about the landlord,

how I keep meaning to text him,

how I have been meaning to text him

since the third day here.

The clicking sound it makes

is like something

trying to decide.

I got out. The knob gave.

I drank water in the dark

and went back to the bed

that's also not quite right,

the mattress soft in the wrong places,

and I lay down in it

like I hadn't noticed.