Company

I didn’t know how much I would miss,
The daily smiles,
The hug and the daily kiss,
Until you went from living with me
To becoming our visiting company.

I didn’t know how much I would miss,
My space,
My room,
Until it went from a house for two
To suitcases, dishes
and an intergenerational milieu.

I didn’t know how much I would miss,
The chats, the movies,
And the shared pet peeves,
Until you went from helping me set the table,
To calling me whenever you were able.

Company,
The extra towels,
The extra sheets,
The cost of groceries
The prices of treats.

Company,
The leaf in the table,
We need another room in the gable.
The singing,
The winning,
Connect Four
On the floor.

Company, that sometimes means
More food,
More dishes,
Waiting for the bathroom,
Where’s that other vacuum?

A slice of turkey,
A piece of pie,
Maybe you’ll try
gefilte fish
Or matzah brie?
It’s all so delish,
Whatever it is that’s on momma’s dish.

Us together,
No matter the weather,
From Rugrats to Christmas Story,
From When You Believe to Doe-A-Deer,
When we are together,
There’s always something to cheer,
And someone to wipe away that Grinchy sneer.

Company comes,
And company goes,
And I’ll bet that everyone knows
As long as you’re welcome to come through that door,
Please come in, stay over, but just don’t snore.

Come one, come all, With
umbrellas and boots,
There’s no need for suits.
New flowers and blooms,
It all fills the rooms,
When company comes,
With the rise of the suns.

Thank you for coming,
Thank you for visiting.
Is it time for you to leave already?
Oh my gosh, did you remember your teddy?
Where is he hiding?
In the bed?
Under the covers?
Oh, I see his little furry head.

Are they gone?
Have they left?
Oy, I’m tired and bereft.
To tell you the truth,
As if I would lie,
Company is welcome,
Almost any hour,
Except when they surprise me
As I get out of the shower.
But there is a moment,
When everyone has left,
That I breathe,
As they leave,
For the house that is mine,
Until next time.

Thank you for coming.
Come back again.
See you next time,
Oh that will be when?
Cheerio and so long,
As I hum a song,
On my way,
Today,
To take a nap in the den.