Piker Press — Weekly Journal of Arts and Literature
April 27, 2026

In Praise of Stay-At-Home

Carl "Papa" Palmer of Old Mill Road in Ridgeway, Virginia, lives in University Place, Washington. He is retired from the military and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) enjoying life as "Papa" to his grand descendants and being a Franciscan Hospice volunteer.

In Praise of Stay-At-Home

Our days used to begin in a frantic rush
led by Mom herding everyone to wake up,
wash up, eat up and hurry up out the door.

Everyone except me, I never got to go.
My days were spent alone in the house
waiting for everyone to come back home.

I'd make my rounds, look under beds,
check the bathrooms and kitchen then
nap on the couch for the rest of my day.

I live with Mom, Dad, Sissy and Bubba
on a street full of families and their pets.
Our pet is me, a boxer. I answer to Bob.

I don't know why or what happened, but
everybody stayed home one day, all day
and every day since. I am one lucky dog!

I get more walks, more bow wows with my
buddies and their masked masters, though
not close enough for our usual social sniff.

More snacks, more playing, more petting,
more snuggling, best is not being alone,
but I do miss my long naps on the couch.






Article © Carl Papa Palmer. All rights reserved.
Published in the July 20, 2020 issue .
Image(s) © Alexandra Queen. All rights reserved.
More by Carl Papa Palmer → More poetry → Full issue →
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Reader Comments
1 Reader Comment
ADDISON G PLAYER JR
08/06/2020
06:22:38 PM
I have always wanted to be BOB. Carl Palmer now shows me WHY!!!!!!!!!
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