they are distant
my entire upbringing
saturday's late feature
watched asleep
at the wheel of my couch
spiraling backward
out of control
vibrating into pieces
a December flurry
collecting in mind
the ghosts of christmases past

     young couple
     kids in tow
     at the santa claus parade
     standing on main street
     waiting for the float
     but soon apparent
     i am a stranger
     driving by on a couch

     wave!
     wave to them
     harder!
     but they can't see me
     shout
     shout to them
     louder!
     but they can't hear me

mom   dad
i miss you
the way we were back then
why don't you recognize me?
why doesn't this couch steer the way
i want it to?
brother sister
gone their own paths
why did the family have to grow up
so quickly?

     morning bells
     telephone
     the room is full of telephones!
     quick! stop the couch!
     get up!

     Hello?
     oh hi mom
     no   just resting

as slumber's cloud lifts
serenity rises
with maternal reminder
soon
this family
will once again converge
to a familiar date
and place
sanctuary in a flurry
the happy spirits
of christmases past
and present

© 1992
Revised © 2018

970 hits as of September 2024

04/18/2018

Author's Note: Inspired by a dream, the dream itself inspired by the influence of geographical distance and age on family relationships, and thus missing the closeness of parents and siblings while living under the same roof.

Posted on 04/18/2018
Copyright © 2024 Chris Sorrenti