Sixty into One into Twenty-Four into Seven into One
One into Life And on and on
You’re up
I look at the clock
Timing, counting down, counting backward
Time? Time for this? Time for that?
Maybe, one day
I hear some people breakfast together
I think that’s a fairy tale
A luxury not for us
Not now
Swap shower for closet for making the bed for waking the kid
The shortest hour
Grab our bags and stacks
And out the door Another day
A kiss over the car door See you tonight
On to our separate lives
Nine ten eleven apart Then together
One into two into one again
Mostly, usually
Mail and papers and phone calls
Dinner and dishes and ice cream
Consumed with to do lists and shopping lists
And getting done Everything done
Cook a little clean a little
Rehash and tell and retell
Your outside life My outside life
Letting each other in
Two separate and two together
It works A machine, well oiled
Swap laundry for broom for kid for bath for nighty night
Swap it all for you and me alone
With no worries and no cares and no outside world
Just us and dark and quiet
Hurry up all day just to slow down at night
Back to one together and two apart
We start it all over again
Look at the clock, count down, count backward
To leave To return To grow To become
It’s all so simple Just you me Us
Our Joint Effort
—EKS, 9.13.09
M.J. says
I love this! It's interesting how you captured the complexities of modern families and relationships. We really do lead our own lives yet live them together. You are an amazing writer, Lizzi.
Holli says
I'm gonna have to agree, this poem shows the stress, the busybusybusy of a mother, the separate yet togetherness of a husband and wife. Great poem!
Lisa says
I'm exhausted just reading this! Great piece!
Haley says
I love your writing. This is perfect. The true day of a wife, mother, career-woman, individual…
and I pass my best friend's grandparents house everyday…you can see them eating breakfast together in their breakfast nook each morning at 6am…so cute. It gives me hope.