i’m a quarter past mental breakdown

when the kids have gone
the house is empty
the weekend mine to
miss them in

he drives away like a sad sack

the face he wears for my punishment
they’ll play basketball
probably
eat sugar a lot
 

i’m coughing up blood in the kitchen

looking at toys half put away
dishes that want cleaning
in the overwhelm of emotions
i find solace in the mundane
 

later when my face looks fine

i’ll have showered and i’ll drive
i’ll work, i’ll breathe, i’ll inhale
i’ll exhale and i’ll tell myself
it’s enough