vacations

we pack the kids into the station
wagon.
the chairs.
the coolers.
the suitcases full
of clothes.
we tie the umbrella
to the roof.
extra shoes, extra
blankets
and pillows.
buckets and bikes.
books that won't get read.
pills and booze.
we pile the kids inside
buckle
them in.
check to see if the iron
is off one
more time, then
stare at the map
and away we go,
stressed and worried,
crazed,
again. vacation
begins.