Brick feature wall

We double-crossed our fingers in the car so she might get the single bed and not have to share a bunk. She determined it was not a good thing to pray for, but crossing fingers was o.k.  She got the bed, the smallest closet and the brick feature wall which is part of the prize.  Breakfast together tomorrow, then we take the scenic route home via the Sandhill trail in Nebraska.

The dorm room

Is set up.

My daughter drew

The drawn slip of paper

Netted her the single raised bed,

The desk without shelves,

The smallest closet.

Hers

Has the brick feature wall

For the room.

Preparing to go

Ah lethargy.  The daughter is printing pictures on photo paper.  My beloved reads baseball scores.  The cat sleeps on the dining room table.  Me?  I am writing this... dressed and showered and packed. Ready, yet not quite ready, really... not quite ready... to go.

The cat

Lounges

On the dining room table,

A place he is never allowed,

Well,

Almost never.

We have not agreed

What time we will leave,

Each of us

In various stages

Of readiness.

Even the turtle

Has barely made it

Out of his log house.

Kindergarten Wall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3w5SsgPuCM 

Here it is.

It is difficult to know

What to write today.

Less than 24 hours now.

The cat is sound asleep

On her hair supplies

In the middle

Of the living room floor.

The daughter

Is out to breakfast

With friends.

Yesterday she listened

To John McCutcheon

The Kindergarten Wall

Over and over

At home,

In the car.

We sang the chorus together

On our way

To pick up one last thing

From Marshall’s.

Less than 24 hours now.

The cat is now asleep

Next to the bins

Which will go under her bed.

I get the car

In the name of paying attention to the particulars, I have now put a hold on our mail and stopped the newspaper.  Today is the therapist, negotiations, vegetables and maps.  I get the car!

First off today

Was the rehearsal

Of how I am doing

With the leaving,

With the individuating,

With the connecting

In different ways.

Now comes the negotiation

Of who gets the car,

Then the haircut,

The vegetable pick-up,

And the trip

To Triple A

For maps of Iowa

Nebraska

And Colorado.

I get the car.

Conveniently free

Last night I made arrangements with the cat and turtle person down the block.  This morning I drink coffee and write.  I notice the growing pile in the living room.  I tend to the tattoo on my left foot.  My beloved and daughter still sleep, upstairs. 

This week the mornings

Are conveniently free

So I can sit

Write

Drink more coffee

Than I really need.  

This week I notice

The buds on the lily

Are goners,

But still the full flowers

Hold their own.

The living room

Begins to fill

With dorm room

Paraphernalia;

The cat sleeps

On her pile of shoes,

Head propped on a heel

Just so.

Stopover

Four days.  As of now, we pack the rental van on Thursday afternoon, leave Friday morning.  Two clients for me this week.  One session of my own.  Therapy is a good thing for everyone.

We are

A few days

From leaving.

She plans a stopover

To see friends,

Now in Iowa City,

Along the way.

When we say

This may mean leaving

A day earlier

She says

No

No

No

Her mind is set

On leaving Friday.

Practice

The daughter is having breakfast downtown in Logan Square.  We are having breakfast here at home.  I carefully clean my tattoo, apply the thin layer of recommended lotion, pour another cup of coffee.

We practice Sunday morning

Without her.

She left for breakfast

Downtown.

We slept in.

Now we contemplate

One more cup of coffee,

Consider next Sunday

In Colorado,

But first

More comings and goings.

For now we practice

Sunday morning

Without her.