Monday, July 9, 2007

In Photographs

In Photographs

We stand with backs straight,
our arms dead by our sides,
faces forward, eyes forward,
still as candles in a row.

Ten or fifteen years from
now, you will not be able
to tell that Fifth Aunt
is not on talking terms
with First Uncle; you will
not be able to tell how
First Aunt is in the kitchen
playing up a stormy symphony
with pots and pans, because
without invitation or permission,
her son brought home a new
girlfriend who is
white
blue eyes with
light straw brown
hair
to an “all family” affair;

You will not be able to tell
from this photograph that
there is a fuss over who
should sit next to Great
Grandfather, a place
reserved for favorites
of which he had none;
in this photograph,
everyone is in here
because this is family.