Grouchy Head

Grandkids are two-legged creatures
that leave potato-chip-footprints,
juice box cartons with vacuum-slurped sides,
and battlefields of fallen toys,
too forgotten to be put in the hallway memorial.
They have questions stapled to every breath,
“can we go...?”
“can we watch...?”
“can we have... pleeeease?”.
But more than things
that grump an old man’s bristle,
they leave their laughter
on chairs and tables, and
even nestled in the fur
of the cat’s grouchy head.