Christmas in Dearborn

On the train to your hometown
At stranger’s side on Christmas Eve
Dozing in the window seat
Your laundry in your lap
Your brother’s pick-up truck is in the lot
Engine running

Steady snow the dog’s asleep
Your mom complains about the tree
Cousins come at dinnertime
With babies & partners
You’ll talk about your job or talk about
Your apartment

On the bed where you first slept
With your husband at seventeen
Read your yearbooks back to front
With TV on & your skirt off
& counted all of your teachers who were
Younger than you now