What makes a home happy?

Is it the people?

The love they give

to each other?

to others?

Or is it the hardships

they face

as a family?

Well, I know that

it isn’t kissing your kid's goodnight

every night

and then yelling at them

every morning.

It isn’t coming home

reeking of Heineken

and ending up fighting

with mom.

Smashing things

the yelling

the threats;

all throughout the night.

But,

we got used to it.

Cleaning the mess come morning.

The glass

broken furniture

papers strewn about

left for us throughout the house.

I know now

that that’s not what

a happy home looks like.

You knew that then,

and yet,

the next night,

there was alcohol on your breath.