seven

I don't remember
my mother or father ever asking
where we had
been all day,
all night.
there were too many of us
to keep track of.
they gave a head count
on occasion
just to figure out how
many pork chops
to set out, but as long
as the school never
called, or
the police didn't show up
at the door,
they were happy.
there was a large box
of band aides
on top of the refrigerator,
and a bottle
of hydrogen peroxide
which we used liberally.