by Jason Grant
Five kids happily sit together
for a photograph
with hopes it could stay like this forever.
And though I know better,
and that nothing lasts—not even laughs,
five kids happily sit together.
I’ll talk about the weather
or whatever else, if someone asks,
with hopes it could stay like this forever
but no one will, and our smiles never
are seen as public masks.
Five kids happily sit together.
Our mom will marry someone clever,
for his heroin or cash
with hopes it could stay like this forever
without knowing or acknowledging the way that he will sever
innocence as if just picking flower petals that they have.
Five kids happily sit together
with hopes it could stay like this forever.