dad’s day
he begins with the long effort of moving mom from prone to upright
this takes the better part of good morning
today the laundry joins the ritual wheeled slowly to the communal room
he’s made a thing of it speaking of its arrival for days as if some profound second coming
this is what it’s come to
freedom
the American way
my parents squirreled away behind protective doors
we all passing furitvely beyond these walls
navigating our paths
living the illusion
avoidance of such fate