BEYOND BROTHER

My brothers call me brother, call me loudly, call their own.

My sister calls me brother, calls me over, calls my phone.

My father calls me brother, calls me mister, calls me known.

My mother calls me brother, calls me watchman, calls me home.

I am brother ever after, ever forward, ever named.

I am brother ever leading, ever seeing, ever blamed.

I am brother ever steady, ever guarding, ever trained.

I am brother ever sharing, ever listening, ever drained.

Of my brothers, one’s a loner, one’s a dreamer, one’s a spy.

Of my brothers, one’s a thinker, one’s a mumbler, one defies.

Of my brothers, one’s an artist, and my sister, she can fly.

There’s my father, the collector, and my mother lives to sigh.

I am brother and I know how and I show how in the world.

I am brother and I rise up, help them wise up like a pearl.

I am brother and I reach with and I teach with fists unfurled,

but I’ll curl them and I’ll whirl them when I need them to be heard.

In this lifetime, I’m their brother,

some from judges, some from blood.

In this lifetime, we’ll move on to

our own journey, planned above.

In this lifetime, I will always

be their brother, it’s enough.

In this lifetime, we’re connected

by a family born from love.