The roar

We have friends over
they bring civilized gifts
homemade jam
a kaleidoscope for our son

there is tea and chips
we talk about her time in Catalonia
ayurvedic herbs
the documentary my husband just finished

it is all so
adult

and then the cry

my sweet boy
who I was so excited to introduce
is awake
but instead of his famous laugh
he looks at the couple
fists clenched
and roars

and so it goes
the evening passes
not even the blender
his latest fixation
can wrestle his rage away

but every time he does it
head thrown back
the maddest he’s ever been

our friends laugh
a big
generous
honest
laugh

they carry no ink
to write down our flaws

all they see
in the storm on his face
is the little animal inside each of us
that we have long ago tamed.