Hope was peeling an onion

Her mind began to drift

To a town she hadn’t seen quite awhile

Where the leaves are changing

and the air is crisp

where her sister’s carving a jack-o-lantern

and her brother’s throwing pumpkin goo

where the dogs are chasing each other in matching taco costumes

and her dad is making chili as he sings along to Prince

Her big brother is on the phone with his girlfriend

            No, you hang up first

Her Grandma is worried about something that happened 30 years ago

            And her mom is pretending to listen

                        And

Amidst this pandemonium she’s at peace

In the chaos she feels safe

And loved

And happy

And a little annoyed that it’s loud to do her homework

But mostly the other stuff

Then the onion stench overwhelms her

And she is awakened from her daydream

She’s back in her dorm

Away from home

And she begins to cry

But it’s probably just from the onion