Is This What You Expected?
So, they grew up
Yes, we see them on Instagram now and then
Tagged in photos
Somewhere smiling
Far away
Fully-fledged from the nest
The house — a museum of memories —
I am now the curator of thingamajigs
For the visitors.
So, they grew up
Yes, they text
Words signaling they are alive —
Like boats in dense fog, blasting horns in the dark
Far away from
The house... still standing in the pine grove
The house... that weathered many storms
The house...waiting for the front door to open
Trying not to cry.
So, they grew up
Yes, they left behind
knick-knacks, diaries and awards
Cluttering the hushed house
Far away
They make reservations for a visit
A weekend!
They come, open the door...
Work remotely.
So, they grew up
Yes, they say they like living out there
Away from the small town where it’s so quiet
You hear robins singing and crows fighting
Far away
From a patch of land
Where you plant perennials;
Hoping they come back next year.
Is this what you expected?
Karen
Tichnor
Karen Tichnor writes poems and short stories. A
former public-school teacher, she is an avid reader, curious beachcomber, and
grateful grandmother. She lives in a small town outside Boston, Massachusetts
with her husband of 40 years. This is her first published poem.