I did not know the valleys and forges

that landscape a family,

A unit,

A wholly complicated venture.

The moments I have uttered

Yes.

And the minutes, seconds,

hours and yawning time of

deep reflection and charged change when

my soul put up hands to say,

No,

Not yet, I’m unsure.

How do we/I grow here?

It cracked open ribs, made neurons anew,

patterns and circles

and sinew reconstructed.

I’ve held and been held and I’ve

pushed and been pulled away.

I’ve/we’ve always come back here,

thus far,

proven as much,

to this worn, crumb filled table.

I’ve wanted to leave multiple times,

desire bubbles warm and frequent.

Shifted and shaped and conformed.

Not sure whether the offering is ever

on the path of wrong or right.

There is highest.

There is best.

And then there is me

And you

And the three.

How often we have communed after

the sorrow, joy and the pain.

or all the brave souls who know better and try to do better–it’s courageous to make meaning from pain, blessings to you.