A Noise in the Night

Two nights ago, I heard
someone rattle the front door
wondering who might be coming home
both my sons and my niece have a key

it was after midnight,
none of them in town, the dog
came out to check the door
but no one was standing there.

Last night I heard a thump,
startled me from a deep sleep,
got up to look around
almost tripped on an easel

that had fallen to the floor
with a painting of a lobster
from an outdoor restaurant
along the coast of Maine.

Once again the dog came over
with all the commotion
but nothing to be worried about
so we both went back to bed.

All three kids are in a crisis,
life changes of great magnitude,
one has moved across country
the other adopted three children

and the third one, the girl, 

broke up with her boyfriend
of two years. Each one is making
significant life choices right now.

Maybe their souls are wandering
in the dream world, wanting to come
back to a safer place where they don’t
have to be an adult, or maybe it is

my baby sister, who moved in and stayed
too long. Now my husband and I are plotting

our escape, looking for our own safe place

where we don’t have to be the adult

maybe we'll find someone who will be there 
to take care of us for a little while.