Lack

This air between us has been
spawned of a single child family.   

Where -
Father works all day, comes home grouchy.   

Where -
Mom is tired, lonely.   

Where - 
They never embraced in front of their 

still, 

growing, 

seed. 

   

Then -
Dad begins to stay out later than the
accepted, expected, nine to five.

And -
Mom lies that work keeps him,

reheats reheated leftovers

and goes out for book club on Saturdays,
the only day he's home.

So - 
They all-ways just miss each other

and eventually, inevitably, forget their son-seed

Who is beginning to think 

drugs might help 

with the emptiness.

Who -
is making the grade

not overachieving or lazy  

But he can’t feel anything, 

and he’s too afraid to cry.

   

Dad thinks they all just need to get away

from it all

for a little while.

Mom just wants to be kissed 

while standing up.

He says my breath is too hot

and not to look at him, 

after.  

So I turn my head on his pillow

tighten my body

and wonder why I feel 

lack.

He's afraid, he says
Another knowing lie
that I entertain in an effort 
to nourish the seed to the surface
So that I might embrace him.
So that he might embrace me.

But, I cannot sleep beside him
my body uncomfortably warm
Something inside uncomfortably cold
So I crawl out of bed
Creep down his stairs
Curl on his couch
and I dream of hugging trees.