the man cave

na.

he built a wing to the house that they bought

together,

because he needs space but he has no way to

get away,

now that she & the kids are a permanent

fixture,

now that the job & the house payments,

the taxes, the diapers, the sleepless nights &

the overwhelming

stress

of a life settled for,

have filled his world---

he stuffs his wing with

creature comforts,

the things that she deems childish or

she simply has no interest in---

he’s got everything from a special refrigerator

for his favorite brew, to a big screen tv. for his

xbox---

he’s fully equipped &

when his friends come over for the big game,

he leaves the kids & the wife in the house &

they all flood the man cave

for a itty bitty piece of happiness &

had they not forgotten to turn their cell phones off,

each of them could spend as long as they wanted there,

like big boys who still had a crumb of

individuality,

but alas,

as the calls begin to come in,

each domesticated man is picked off

one by one &

the misery of

middle-age-&-married-with-kids

hits him like a

brass knuckle fist---

he’s played his roll,

propagating the species &

will live out the rest of his days

pretending he knows what it feels like to be

free.