The house I’m building in my head
Is either very small
Or big so it excludes no one,
An ark that holds us all.
But since I don’t know everything
And others would build, too,
That fancy house would have to be
Quite small–just what will do.
Linked to dVerse Poetics hosted by Sara McNulty with the prompt “DIY building”.
Photo by the author, “All of us fish in one pond”
I like your vision in this. Big enough for all. I like my house for my husband and I but…all are welcome. Are the fish from your koi pond?
LikeLiked by 1 person
The fish are from a botanic garden we visit. I guess the location of the small house in my mind would have to be in an area where there were botanic gardens and forest preserves. We sort of live in that situation now.
LikeLike
The “Goldilocks house”: not too big, not too small. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly! I can see how a house could get too small. A big house is just a maintenance problem. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A big house just means more surface area to clean. 😉 You’re welcome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is a word in Swedish called lagom… not too small, not too big, just right in size… it’s a maxim to live by.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree. After posting, I realized I didn’t define what “enough” was. If the surrounding environment is nice, the house could be quite small.
LikeLike
This was such a comforting poem to read! It left me feeling really warm and cosy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I was aiming for warm and cosy. That is how I view a small house.
LikeLiked by 1 person
i like the phrase “excludes no one” and that’s what a home should be, a space for everyone, the cosy in the feeling the occupants create with one another, this is a happy home.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s true. Even if the house is small, no one is excluded. If the home is happy, it’s just the right size.
LikeLiked by 1 person
An ark that holds us all would be very ideal ~ But its the welcoming tone that is important, rather than the size, smiles ~
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those Hobbit homes in the Shire from The Lord of the Rings look to be about the right size and that is only because the Shire seemed like a pleasant place to live. Thanks!
LikeLike
My wife & I have had an empty nest for a decade, but sometimes a child + hubs & kids, will move back for a time, while houses see, or vacations are had, I figure, for the prompt, dream big & assume if I had the dough to build it, I’d have staff to clean it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
While houses “sell”–geesch.
LikeLike
I like your tree house and dome approach. I was originally thinking big and then it occurred to me: someone will have to clean this, but that’s what staff is for. Where we live now is probably perfect. It’s a well-built town home and the neighborhood has a large library, botanic garden, forest preserves, cafes, restaurants, shops, parks, good internet and there’s this rather large lake a bicycle’s ride away.
LikeLike
Love this, Frank. Your sense of rhyme and rhythm are always so wonderful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLike
A perfect fit of a house
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Candy!
LikeLike
I would be honored to be a fish in your perfect sized pond. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t know why I included that picture of those fish. I think it was because they looked crowded but happy together at home in their pond. Thanks for the DIY building prompt!
LikeLike
my pleasure!
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Quite small–just what will do.”
Ah, there’s always beauty in simplicity. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
With too much complexity the house gets in the way of the home. Thanks, Maria!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I couldn’t agree more, frank! A lot of houses are no home…
LikeLiked by 1 person
In my head, I could see a cosy little cottage that, in an Alice in Wonderland kind of way, changes size according to the number of people in it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That would be the perfect solution to right size. Maybe even that tree house those blue people in Cameron’s movie “Avatar” lived in.
LikeLiked by 1 person
a fancy mini house.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What makes it fancy would be the people living in it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re channeling Emily Dickinson today. Delight.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! It does sort of sound like her with that dash in the last line now that you mention it.
LikeLike
Cozy 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was originally going for mansion, but then I thought of the maintenance and security issues and I felt I’d rather spend time making it a home. Thanks!
LikeLike
Mansions are for people with more money than dreams 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Big or small, it sounds like your house is one of love!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s actually all that counts. One could live in a tent with that foundation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That does kind of sound like a Hobbit’s hutch Frank. It was kind of a welcoming, cozy place. I’ll come and bring some roasted mutton.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My two favorite places to live, based on the movies, is the Hobbits’ Shire and that tree in Avatar. They seemed to be minimal dwellings in friendly locations.
LikeLike
They say it’s all location, location, location
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like that your focus was on including others.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! It wouldn’t be much fun without others.
LikeLike
love the third and fourth line, Frank. big enough for all. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Either our individual homes or the communities we build, as in your poem, have to be big enough for all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree. I agree.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just big enough for happiness, with welcoming arms/doors for all!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is a good way to define “enough”: big enough for happiness. Thanks!
LikeLike
Perhaps an adjustable house (red pill or blue?) would work here? Then you can accommodate all in a variety of ways.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As I am thinking about this, the whole community is our house which does adjust although we have private spaces we have to take care of in a more detailed way.
LikeLiked by 1 person