Trip

My half-packed bag on the floor beside me.

The kid's dog is sleeping on top of it.

My bag is her Tiananmen Square.
_____
The kid is passed out cold, in her room.

The up-all-night taunts
of her and best friend
are mere echoes,

bouncing around her walls like a screensaver.
_____
The fiance' strides confidently

between bathroom and bedroom.

Back forth,
back forth,
back forth,

doing whatever needs to be done,

so that when we pull in tomorrow morning,

we'll look like those pictures you've seen
_____
of a family.