The House That Listens - A Gothic Poem

Dark places often hold the deepest echoes. This gothic poem explores the quiet presence of memory within forgotten spaces, where candlelight flickers against old walls and the night seems to listen. Through imagery of shadowed halls, whispering forests, and restless silence, the poem reflects on the way the past lingers long after footsteps fade.

Inspired by the haunting atmosphere of Hunter Godbolt’s poetry book Lurid Lamentations, this entry in the Free Poem Fridays series continues a growing collection of original gothic poetry that explores memory, darkness, reflection, and the fragile light that persists within shadow.

The house remembers every step

That wandered through its hollow halls,

Each whispered breath of candle smoke

Still clinging softly to the walls.

The floorboards sigh beneath the weight

Of footsteps long since turned to dust,

Yet somewhere in the quiet dark

Their echoes linger out of trust.

A lantern sways within the night,

Its trembling glow a fragile guide,

Revealing shapes the dark once hid

Where silent shadows choose to hide.

Outside the wind through branches weaves

A language few can understand,

As if the forest speaks of things

No mortal heart was meant to stand.

The window stares into the woods

Where midnight gathers in the trees,

And something ancient breathes between

The shifting bones of autumn leaves.

Yet still a light remains within

The quiet heart of wood and stone,

For even haunted places know

The dark was never meant alone.

And if you listen long enough

Where candle flames and silence meet,

You’ll hear the truth the night protects

In every shadow at your feet.

The night often feels silent, yet it carries more stories than daylight ever reveals. Like many pieces in the Free Poem Fridays series, this gothic poem explores the spaces where memory and shadow meet, reminding us that even the quietest places can hold lingering truths.

If you enjoy dark poetry and atmospheric writing, you can explore more original gothic poems in the Free Poem Fridays Archive, all inspired by the themes found in Hunter Godbolt’s poetry book Lurid Lamentations.

Return next Friday for another original gothic poem in the Free Poem Fridays series.