Do not whistle

Do not whistle

There really is nobody to listen

The cupboard is bare

Nothing waits in the shadows

Under the bed

Behind the curtain

In the corner where the lights

Never shine

What harms you

Will not be dissuaded

By a happy tune

But if it pleases you

Pucker up

It is as unmusical

As a recorder

Played by a recalcitrant child

In detention

Whistle is a painful

Reminder of cold nights

Before double glazing

When the frost formed

On the inside of windows

The wind blew down

The chimney

The bed was second hand

From Grandma

With a groove running

Down the middle

It was difficult to get out of

Whistle is a wolf

On the corner

With a sad distaste

Of equal opportunity

Who believes feminism

Is a lame duck

And doesn’t give a…fig

For whistling up the wrong tree

In the dark.

To fill in the gaps

Between each creak

In every loose floorboard

That will get louder

No matter how softly

You place your feet

Or how slowly

You raise the seat

Of the toilet

It will still squeak

Blackbirds do not speak

There is no cricket

Sitting on your shoulder

With a cheerful song

To fill the silence

Between each heartbeat

Whatever you do

When in the shower

Do not whistle

The incidental music

From Psycho

As one thing is certain

There really is nothing

Behind the curtain

But a wall

Unless...