The Great GreenTree Mortgage Oscillation

by Todd Mercer

Nikki from GreenTree
called again and again called to say
the same as yesterday, the same
as she’ll say tomorrow.
It means nothing, it’s a tidal
oscillation for telephones,
back and back and gone and gone
a daily metronome
the calls that say
we’ll take your home
and pay your mortgage,
deadbeat,
the note that you’ve
always paid.

Nikki from GreenTree
speaks but her ears don’t receive.
She offers a way out, a settlement
that shape-shifts if you
dare to touch it,
it rolls out leaving you
in a hold loop
on mud flats,
it evaporates.

Nikki from GreenTree
rings in around Elevenses,
always has and always will,
impervious to facts or satire,
to your answers,
to your perfect record
of sustained and timely payments.

You just missed her
but she’ll be back
every morning every morning,
machine with a human voice
with a deal that’s not a deal,
with a reason that defies Reason.
She says, pay your note.