You peck at me
with the word
mom
mom
mom
mom
while I alternate
ignoring you and pleading
that I am trying to finish
something super important
and you tell me
that your thing
is super important too
so I take a deep breath
in that way
that is meant to show calm
but still looks annoyed
and I ask you what is
your super important thing
why do they call it a one-horse open sleigh
if it’s driven by reindeer?
You look immediately relieved
just to have cast this mystery
out of your head
and into the deep waters
of an adult brain
that must seem to you
to have answers stocked like fish.
So I tell you about
the two different songs
and then we cuddle on the couch
while my deadline
comes and goes
and I cast my own net
over and over
into your world
fishing for all your important things
I too often ignore.