gratitude

gratitude

as much as i hate
the inspirational quotes
growing on posters and t shirts and the internet,
the demands for gratitude
in the face of every crushing pain,

i will say that i am grateful every second
for your presence in this
spinning disaster.

the night is cool
and i’m in the driveway in my socks,
concrete and rocks beneath my heels.
everything is wrong about the president
and the health clinic and the campaign
and the state of
you name it.
i don’t notice the moon.

i do notice the light
spilling out of every corner of the house.
you are all inside,
with basketball and homework,
and i stop
to hear you faintly
the tv and a question about cereal.

when i go in
you
will tell me a rambling story i’m not interested in. then
you
will cry about the test and
you
will smile from underneath your headphones
and ask what did you say?

i would not trade one second of this
for a billion dollars,
or three wishes,
or even
the moon.