The Life that Could Have Been by Whitney Osburn

The life that could have been by Whitney Osburn
 
She just sat there and watched
As we ate our captain crunch cereal,

My brother wrapped a periwinkle blanket

Around his neck as a cape, he was superman,
 
My oldest brother got mad when he would
Run through his game of basketball yelling “ill save you”

He was trying to live the life of Kareem Abdul Jabber,

He always wanted to life in California.

On the news it showed a train had wrecked

Millions of socks poured out the side, in large 
Boxes, every pair was pink.

My mother was working on removing the hideous
Brown shag carpet from our living room.

She had only bought this house because it was

Built right along the lake with a gorgeous view,

During the hot weather she laid on our

Porch drinking pina colodas and eating fresh grapes.

If you walk in our front door and look right

Over the top of it you will see an old horse shoe.
My mom said it was good luck.

Something was weird in our neighborhood,

Every Tuesday a mystery van drove up and
Down our street and stopped and had a picnic
On the side of the road.

My mother hated coffee, but more she hated

When we would spill something and not pick it up,
Anything attracted ants in our house, you spilt one
Drop and they all came marching in in a straight line.

We had a beautiful fluffy calico cat named Muhammad.

My little brothers would put him in their wagon
And pull him around pretending they had caught
A wild animal on their African safari.
Apparently safaris took place on Jupiter,
And had dead dinosaurs everywhere.