a perfectionist vision

a perfectionist vision
exhibits a tranquil existence
like breakfast dishes laid out
with Christmas wishes
and kids swimming in the garden pool
splashing round
family structures and personal ruptures
emotions gone to ground
the white picket fence encircles
a brick house of politics
with affairs, disputes
and tear stained apologies
child rearing policies, punishment
swing the rod in it –

this is not going to work.

*A version of this poem was first published in goodbaad (2019)