idea for a poem

teaching the kids to jaywalk across Broadway
good job Mom

making dinner out of pasta and pastry and cheese
with vegetables as a condiment
laughter as a sauce
strong work Dad

letting them listen to songs with 4-letter words
in the lyrics
they know Gramma would have a fit
if she heard them use those words


daughter passes me in the kitchen
"that cookie dough is good"
Wait, I think
you know you're not supposed to eat
raw cookie dough,
and her eyes sparkle
she does know
but dares me to say....

What?

Do I really want to raise my kids
in a world where you can't eat
raw cookie dough?
(truly one of the finest things in life)
where you can't
(after looking both ways twice)
jaywalk
cuz it's raining and you need the shortest path
from A to B?
and swearing? no swearing?

a world where you Must Always Eat Vegetables
or suffer the wrath of
who?
The Parent Police?
God?
The endless pain of knowing you weren't the perfect parent?

Oh, that.

520 Bridge Song

Don't drive right up on my ass, please.
Where are you going to go?
We're on a two-lane bridge
and I'm driving as fast
as the cars around me.
There's nothing to do
but watch the moon,
(full cratered moon -
band of trees and houses
bank of smudgy clouds
giant pearl hanging over Bellevue
in a rusty rose sky)

and KING FM is playing piano
I think it's Bach.
Can't tell if I've heard this piece before
but the spaces in the melody
are whispering his name.

So breath, Mr.
We'll be across in a minute,
lanes will open up,
and you can go chase someone else.