FAMILY VACATION
BY AUDREY B
Family vacation from family
relationships with truth
forever language
absent permanence
living extremes as average
write the brick as a feather
above the sun
under the weather
eat the silence
swallowing air
existing successfully in between
beginning towards bonding
I was told, “go”
as invitation to stay
learned “run”
if ever given a choice with chance…
yell quietly
swim upstream
being raised as a fish
except all along…
could fly
fairy tales ring true
I did grow
to live in a shoe
a forcing of ancestry
confining in name
pretending all differences
exactly the same
oh the fun of it all…
as we fall, fall, fall…
from a love manufactured
surviving decades past warranty
there are no refunds for people
just vacations
pictures and the adventures we share
epic laughter
“incredible, you had to be there!”
left waiting in lines
roller coasters, losing track…
click click, clack
no turning back
that hill climbed as mountain
sweating in rain
walking composed…
through what presents as insane
a trip, a day, a lifetime away
not all travel
is a weekend or week
becoming generational hide and seek
we all get tired
too much of a good thing
and must start for home
wherever we can arrive
to unpack
shared memories
as if treasure
being honest
why some returned
separately
unraveling mistake
who maps a plan
for beautiful break
parting ways
unaccompanied toddler
bearing such weight
growing, going…
staying invisible
a happy family on holiday
absurdly “postable”
strangers will “like it”
