Morning air, cool, light, clean.
Children’s voices, soft in their early rising.
Orange juice, chilled and sweet.
A spring day, quiet in its beginning.

The sound of coffee making in the kitchen.
The smell of sausage in the skillet
and batter steaming from the waffle iron.
Butter and jelly opened on the counter.

Footsteps slow down the stairs.
“Good mornings” in the hallway
and prayer at breakfast.
The light clinking of forks against plates.

Bags at the door,
hugs on the porch,
trunk stuffed,
doors closing.

Hours later,
that comforting call,
“We made it home OK.”
We will all rest easy one day.

H. Arnett
6/1/10