35 West Chelsea

I miss my family tonight.

I remember driving home
after a full day's work at the supply yard
my whole body aching
my mind numb
my hair matted from the heat and
the soot from the warehouse
so black
I would sweat it out at night

I'd park the car in my driveway
and maybe have a smoke on the back porch
then I'd walk inside
to the chaos of a newborn
or the screaming
from the vacuum

somedays,
it was easy
it came naturally
wake up, work,
be happy
and there were hard days
there were arguments
but there was always
my bed and my woman
as my son slept sound
in the room we painted for him
in the crib that we bought and we built
in the home that we made there

I miss my family tonight.

as I carry my son to a new bed
that sits at the foot of
my new bed
without my woman
without the same sweet summer breeze
that smelled of the ocean

I miss my family tonight.

I miss domesticated life
I miss being asleep at midnight
I miss my 6 AM alarm clock
the snooze button
and eggs on Sunday morning

I miss my family tonight.

Soon, I'll buy a new bed
I'll have a woman to share it with
I'll paint my sons new room
build him another bed
fall asleep at midnight
hit the snooze on the 6 AM alarm
I'll eat eggs on Sunday morning
and it'll be OK
it's just tonight,

I miss my family tonight.