Working as Planned

His family is waiting as he finally arrives
Another hard week driving highway’s skies
He is so thankful to finally be home
That he almost ignores the tatters he’s shown 
Barely surviving could describe his lot
“Is this all there is?” he thinks (shares not)
To work all week, gone and away
Coming home to shambles, he feels ashamed 

Eldest son wears his hand me downs, oldest daughter his wife’s
Middle son gets thirds, younger daughter wife’s threads
His baby son swaddled in all that is left
Their faces seem tattered from the dirt they hold
“Have a good week kids?” he asks as he unloads
Approaching the house (a better term shack)
“Yes dad” they exclaimed all in unison right back

Stepping onto the porch his kids reaching thirst
Wanting to hug their big daddy first
He stops as they surround him, holding back tears as he found them
“Bobby... you’re finally growing into my jeans!”... “Eric... much taller you seem!”
“Jenny... such a woman you’ve become!”... “And Jesse, what a beautiful girl hun!”
As he kneels down to his youngest son
His tears well up and flow as the rivers run
“And David my little one, your glasses are still repaired as I fixed them... looks like they’re the same!”
“Yes daddy” David exclaims... “The bandaid you used is still holding the frame.”

As he hugs all his children his watering eyes drain
“So much to be thankful for” in his heart it proclaims 
He finishes hugging all his children with a tug
“Now y’all get inside, tend to your chores a touch”
Then slowly stands facing the woman he loves
“Hey baby girl” he softly mentions
Wiping his tears, erasing their reflection
“I missed you so much” his additional expression 

“We got another notice in the mail yesterday 
Where’ve you been, where’s the money... you get paid?!”
Waiting for a reply, demanding a reckoning 
Standing her ground, her pressure beckoning
“I did baby doll, here’s the stub as proof of it all
I deposited it in the bank before heading to y’all”
She grabs the paper out of his hands
Looks at it... smirks... shakes her head, turns and ran

Back in the house as she runs through the door
Turning and screaming “it’s not enough, we need more!”
“Mind your own business kids, get your work done!
Your daddy isn’t coming into our house, no more fun 
Clean your rooms, take all your baths and use soap!
‘Can we play with daddy later?’... and mom replies ‘nope!’”
His shoulders drop, his eyes sulk 
He knows she’s right, so much for hope

“Stay out in the shed, you’re not sleeping with me!”
Slamming the door as if cutting his feet
Standing there alone as he loses his words
“What can I do?” He whispers... silently heard
Then he remembered the paper he signed
Granting a fortune just in case that he died
Thoughts of his family, nothing else mattered
“I’ll take care of you y’all” he thought, his mind battered

Out in the field sat the machine
A small little farm from which it had gleamed
So many fears yet not one shook his seams
So little time to realize his dreams
Into the combine he quietly fled
Starting it up and turning its’ head
Back out its’ cabin no more words ever said
Throwing himself in the blades, as he died, he bled

.............................

As he’s driven by the property he waits to acquire 
His driver slows the stretch, pebbles rattled by tires
Pushing the button the window rolls down
Silent motor idles barely a sound
As he peers through the opening, binoculars raised
He sees the family on the porch through the haze
“They’re at their last Edward, this’ll soon be my land
You can go ahead and leave... everything (he thought) is working as planned”