A School Bus Is Coming

On weekday mornings on a quiet corner three moms with small sons and daughters wait for a school bus they hope is coming The children laugh play a game of tag three moms are silent three feet apart One reads a book another smokes the other checks her cell phone The bus pulls up the kids pile on and rush to windows to wave good-bye the moms all wave as if in sync The bus takes off makes its turn three moms walk home three feet apart down the block without a word three moms with children gone are free at last white, black and brown Donal Mahoney