Who knew our taste of stability
Lay in the concrete of the Modesto heat
Where you can cook your eggs right outside
Feed a family, in our case, five
Two and a half hours from Grandma’s house
A small sacrifice to live without doubt
Of where Dad’s next paycheck would be
And whether or not it’s been earned scotch-free
Finally, Mom is living her dream
Of being a stay-at-home parent
Proud, safe, and free
Ready to make her own decisions
On how she will raise her three little children
Once a vision and now for real
Dad holds down a sales job, sealing the deal
Determined to make his family proud
And be a good father, a thought in the clouds
Our birthday parties held at home
Elementary school, we are in the zone
A backyard filled with toys, strewn all over
With a Barbie car to boot, plus Dad is sober
It seems I had much to be grateful for
Yet, these are memories I can only explore
Through photographs and VHS tapes
And someone telling me, “I remember that place”
None of this truly resides within my mind
I can’t see it, it’s too far behind
I’m lost in my screen as I type this all out
Leaving my own sentiments in serious doubt
It’s but a blurry pleasantry
Staring right in front of me
Looking through photos of times long ago
Dad longed for something bigger
He could feel it, he knows
So, let’s see if there is something else
And move on, farewell, to our Moonstar Way tales
Sarah Lopez 