It’s always a strange feeling
when the kids pull away
on Christmas morning to
open anew their presence
at mom’s.

Only to return indoors
from seeing them off
to find my more recent kids
equally pulling away to
play with their new toys
and gadgets.

Inside, my wife pulls away
retreating from years of
holiday shopping and cooking and regrets
and I retreat to write
a poem or virtually connect
with others.

And I realize that retreat
is normal, not a casualty of divorce
just refreshing and treating ourselves to
quiet rejuvenation.

And tomorrow we’ll regroup anew
and begin the count toward
next year.

25.xii.10