Homeland Security

No guns, AK-47's, or even small handguns to stash in your purse.
No pepper spray, Bowie knives or baseball bats.
It' safe behind the purple door, the toothpaste green signals
what goes on inside; we brush our teeth in front of a tiny
mirror hanging over the kitchen sink.
There is no violence here, no harsh words,
no put-downs, no power plays,
only an old black dog, mostly blind and deaf
asleep on the couch, barking in her sleep at
invisible intruders walking by.
violas spread across the backyard
silently spring forth purple blossoms,
the bleached, slightly rotten Adirondack chairs
invite us to sit on a hot day, to listen to the
lingering laughter of last night's dinner
echoing among the blades of grass.