waking up to the noon clock

you can't tell

a child

about your childhood.

explaining

the lacks

in your early life.

the work,

the struggle to survive.

you can't

moan

and groan about the distance

between

school and home

that you walked in all weather.

or the empty

ice box.

the shoes with holes.

you can't

talk about your first job,

your second

job

and the ones that followed.

they stare at you

and smile.

waking up

to the noon clock,

and say that's a shame,

too bad for

you.

dad, i need the keys

to your car.