Tonight we dine on soap sud memories,   

music lighting corners light bulbs won’t fill,

Seated at a table too big for little family too large, bursting from the seams,

the chairs do not contain excited feet in size 4 shoes too big for little toes too happy.

Tonight I order nostalgia with a side of hope,

attempt 16 fail. Start again?

We celebrate birthdays with fire, extinguish regrets

Father still takes

Mother still gives

Father still loves

Mother still shrinks

And the little ones abandon their promises to never grow another inch.

Perhaps life tastes different 17 courses in,

but I am not yet satisfied with the plate.

Father still laughs

Mother still smiles

Father still worries

Mother still cries

And the little ones begin to discover that age offers no guarantees

Tonight we dine on late night promises.

Father may still learn

Mother may still sink

Father may still grasp

Mother may still rise

And the little ones may still wrap themselves in soap sud memories

Tonight we dine on tomorrow,

and I take my turn restarting.