poem of the day 12.18.14

poem to cindy x garcia

age, approximately 5 ½

cindy

what is there to say?

except that we’re both pretty tired

coming home on this evening train

only i don’t have my mother with me

to try and keep waking me up, like you do

she’s only doing it

because if you sleep now

you’ll be a terror when she tries to put you to bed

it’s kind of like how i feel

those nights struggling to keep my eyes open

until at least ten o’clock

frustrated at all of these inabilities and limits

i seem to be acquiring year by year

cindy

it’s hard at your age and it’s getting harder at mine

and i know how you feel

two parents working full-time

or maybe even just one

up and out the door before most kids are even awake

back home to the insult of everyone else’s warm yellow window

because you’ve spent mornings and afternoons

shucked off to daycare or lousy babysitters

that your folks can’t really afford

you know they’re working hard

but it’s tough only seeing them when the sun comes down

when you’re tired and on this train tonight

where thankfully no one is making any noise

remember they don’t want to pay someone else

to raise you either

cindy

i wish that i could say that it gets better

that the tiredness abates

but if i have to be honest with you

life comes down to small pockets of joy

tucked between the sadness and strife

and before you know it

you’ll be putting your mom to bed

or saying goodbye for the long run

so don’t give her too much shit right now

because she seems like a nice lady

with soft, brown loving eyes

cindy

i can see the tears welling up

as she keeps sitting you up straight

there’s no need to cry

because this is just what we do

trying to live this life we’ve been given

we endure

we make magic happen when we can

and there’s still a few more good hours

left in the day for us both

dinner, television, or maybe a decent book

so let’s not squander this, little girl

on tears and petty disagreements

let’s do as mom says

and get up

let’s get off this train tonight

and get back to the art of living

until tomorrow, cindy

until tomorrow.