Arms and Elbows

Arms and Elbows

I can hear them in the dining room
the living room
voices loud and obnoxious
as only college boys voices are.
They play cards, not poker but still cards
cards ‘Worth more than my life’
and I smile to hear the latest stratagem
the last siege
my hands deep in soapy water

The smell of pizza permeates the air
oven heat making my right side sweat
my left cold from the window.
The sink is low; don’t housewives come in size tall?
Food done, I steal it from its womb
the heat of a birth meant only to sacrifice

They come in and out
plundering morsels from my counters
whispering, smiling but still lost
‘How very stereotypical of you, Mel’
I smile back, blue tumbler drying in my warm palms

Evening winds down
so many dishes; they haven’t cleaned for weeks
owner of the home is asleep
otherwise I’d have vacuumed.
The battlefront is shuffled
stuck into tins, again worth more than my life
I hear goodbyes, feel the hugs.

No Thank Yous
No Need of them, either.

Dwindling, I retire
say one last good night
walk back towards home, my home this time
leaving behind an empty sink
a full heart
One less thing for my friends to fight about.

My pruned fingers are better than any lullaby.