He drives for home after another

long day and night at the office.

He needs his wife’s reassuring touch

and his children’s laughter and warm hugs.

“Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!”

His stomach twists and turns

and splashes across his shoes.

His dream house now a steaming, smoking

mountain of memories and debris.

“Step back sir. Step back!”

He searches for a uniform.

“My kids?”

The cop shakes his head and turns away.

He seeks a second uniform.

“My wife?”

The firefighter shakes his head and turns away.

Yesterday he needed pennant race

poker champions, and preseason football.

The Television clicker lit

but the channels would not change.

“We’ll play after the game, son!”

Another uniform steps toward him

radiating experience and authority.

The Chief thrusts a stinking melted disk

into the father’s trembling hands.

“No batteries!”

WRP 2008