Motherhood Arrives

Photo by Shirota Yuri on Unsplash

Just in time, rounding the corner full throttle
screeching to a halt before the front lawn
trailing a faint cloud of friction, cigarette,
red wine, rug burn,
whispy as the faint echoes
of late-night childless conversation.

Doors burst open, wadded
diapers roll onto the grass
a pacifier smacks the gutter…