Family Reunion

Family Reunion

We’re planning a family reunion.
It’s going to be in the park.
The shelter holds sixty-four people,
But we’ll have to be out by dark.

There’re bathrooms and barbecue grills,
Ball parks and horsehoe pits,
Stroll by the river or down a steep hill,
Or if you prefer, just sit.

Food is the main attraction.
Bring chicken, bring burgers, bring dips.
Diets are just a distraction
From brownies and cookies and chips.

Yes, bring your aunt’s homemade pickles,
And grandma’s pound cake from scratch.
I’ll bring a gelled mold that wiggles,
Mom’s pies, and some bags for the trash.

We’ll fondly remember the old days,
And laugh about time gone by,
We’ll tell the kids of the old ways,
Before going back for more pie.

We’ll notice how all the kids grew
Since the very last time we all met.
We’ll tell funny tales of people we knew,
And some things we now regret.

We’ll catch ourselves by surprise,
When a tale of a lost one is told,
As tears swell up in our eyes.
That story of love’s never old.

You’ve probably heard it told,
Reunions are only a practice.
One day on Heaven’s streets of gold,
We'll be a family again, with justice.

So, come to our family gathering!
Bring plenty of ice—bring food!
Bring photos, and, please, a smathering
Of memories to share with our brood.