from texas, with love

if i sent a letter to your parent’s house
would they tell you that it arrived
or toss it aside?

would you tell them to open it and
read it to you out loud?
would you tell them to
rip it to shreds, a paper cloud?

what if it was a neatly boxed-up package 
tied in a bow
what could be in there?
how would you know?

if i sent a letter to your parent’s house
would your mother sigh and say “it’s a shame”?
would your father do the same?

would they forward it to you right away
or wait a couple of days?
would your sister take a picture
while she’s home on holiday break?
to send it in the group chat 
to ask what to do
will she start the debate?

or maybe your dogs will get to it first
pulling it off the counter 
to drag into the corner and
chew all the way up
would you pat their heads when you see them
next and say “that’s a good pup.”?

if i sent a letter to your parent’s house
and by some miracle it reached you 
all the way through the plains and into the mountains 
in the postage through the snow
by some freezing mailman
that has you on his route
to arrive in your mailbox or at your front door
would you open it?
would you read it?
would you think of me,
think of us, and how it was before? 
or would you not
even bother unsealing it.