our birthday

This time

I hate it when my kid sister corners me
And asks me questions
The kind she knows I really don’t want to answer
Cant we just have coffee
None of the brothers want to hear this
Dad called it evil
Mom said it was nonsense
I would buy lunch to silence her query
How long have you known him……
This time only three years at the end of the month
It took strange and diverse circumstances to bring us back together
We lost one who was a link
But he helped us to remember.
The time before was first on the water
We had to travel far and long
And knew the sound of each others wretching
And the twisted pain of being netted by
Some arrogant victor.
The first time is the mark of God
It is where we were first sacred
I rode behind him on the horse
Wind in my eyes
And the village noise around us
It was our birthday
We became a village.
Our children looked at us
And we looked back and held each other close

Sometimes my new sister asks questions
And is not ready for the answer.
I can only wait
And hope that someday she  will remember