Who is he?

I made a joke
(at least it made me laugh)
in my email to "bro"
but as he read it
in some dinky shack
in Chad
he didn't think it was funny
He doesn't understand
if I don't laugh, I will cry
He just thinks I'm irreverent

He thought so as we
poured mom's ashes into her
grave and I protected myself from the drizzle
with a Campbell plaid umbrella
"mom never even bought Campbell soup!",
he thought
"But she gave me the umbrella,
It was our joke!"
He couldn't understand
just as he can't now

and who is this man I call "brother"?
Why is he coming here?
He will just interfere
call me "sis"
short for little insignificant sister
and resent me for being in charge

I do just fin without him
thank you
always have
always will

oh once he stood upon a
little sister made pedistal
I had looked up to him
called him my big brother
But I pushed him off that
long ago

and now he comes
to be with my dad
and I must bury it all
deep inside
until they
both
leave me

Comments: 13

Larry M. Jan 25, 2008, 7:23am EST

How sad. Allies are always to be preferred to enemies, especially within families.

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MaryBeth W. Jan 25, 2008, 7:49am EST

We are far apart in age and grew up in very different families. He's a child of the 60's and I'm a child of the 80's. Very different views on how to deal with life. He's a good guy at heart though. Thanks for commenting

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Katie R. Jan 25, 2008, 12:36pm EST

Me and my older sister are the same way kinda ... Big age difference and such.

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John Harris Beck Jan 25, 2008, 6:40pm EST

MaryBeth, third line from the end you need a "y". That said, you tell this well, and I hope it feels better because you can do that. I noted this in today's article for Gather Essentials: Writing. Good luck.

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necee t. Jan 25, 2008, 10:42pm EST

hi MaryBeth... this is good...although sad... Blessings to you....

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Altair driving around the neighborhood and waving Jan 25, 2008, 10:45pm EST

Good poem about family dynamics!

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Susan A. Jan 26, 2008, 10:30am EST

SAD for both of you.

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Bhawana 'Gather Proud Mom' Jan 28, 2008, 5:02pm EST

adorable feelings Mary.

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Patricia F. Feb 1, 2008, 7:22am EST

Family crises do tend to bring out the best-and the worst -in all of us...the sibling differences really get magnified as we struggle to deal with it all...I wish you strength.

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MaryBeth W. Feb 1, 2008, 8:04am EST

Thank you all! Please read The Jovial Circus as it continues this exploration of siblings...

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Sandy F. Feb 1, 2008, 3:49pm EST

These three poems are excellent companions and incomplete without each other. I really admire the way you tell this very difficult story in a way that includes rather than excludes the reader. The talent of universal writing in a poet is not so easily taught. You are a natural.

Nice writing.

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