What is family?

What Is Family?

Family are the shouts in the dark that keep you awake

trying to be invisible under your blankets.

Family is the warm heart you run to

when everyone else at the rink skates too fast

and you've cut your knees on the ice.

Family are given to you at birth

with your eyes and lips and nose.

They will stick to you wherever you go

and shape how you see

and what you say

and how you are seen

forever.

Family are found new each day

wherever you put your heart last.

Family are the people you share bread with,

and whoever you share the lack of bread with.

Sometimes your family aren't people.

Family is whoever lives under the tent of your soul.

Your family can be as big as you are,

and from birth to death, your real, real family

are the ones who make you grow bigger.


poem by Anitra L. Freeman from "Families of Poems":


Compliments of Elaine Winchester
Wellington,NZ.

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