Fallout (Crank 3)

Sometimes I wonder if I am

the reason they don’t hold

hands anymore, rarely kiss

in public. If I am to blame

for the emotional distance

between them, an expanding

rift that seems to grow wider

when I am home, near them.

Mom insists they’re still

best friends, and I guess

that’s true. She says it’s

normal for passion to cool.

Is all love so predictable

or is it, in fact, my fault?

I don’t mind so much when

Dad gets mad at me. I’m pretty

sure that’s a testosterone thing.

But I can’t stand it when Mom

goes all silent and frozen.

I hope David Cook can thaw her.

THIS MUST BE

How Santa feels on

Christmas Eve morning,

sleigh clean, reindeer

fed, presents wrapped,

loaded and ready to go.

It’s not like I’ve never

given Mom and Dad

gifts, and nice ones at

that. But this one feels