The Maid who Served an Ogre

She washed the dishes, cleaned the sink,
mopped heel marks from the kitchen floor,
put out the garbage and made the beds
and walked to the grocery store.

But these chores did not fill her day
and she slipped out, a small brown mouse,
and breathless hid behind a hedge
because a man was in the house.

He spoke to her with kindness, still
she thought his glance stripped her for bed,
his lips swelled open buds, she sweat
with fear no matter what he said.

She cringed when she hung up his coat
as if strange hands played on her skin,
under her apron she hid a knife
at night when she brought his dinner in.