United

At midnight

think of tossing and turning

in bed.

Think of the sounds of silence 

as you drift into slumber.

If you have this name,

your father’s stained hands

works on car after car

teaching you to take after him,

the shadow of a legacy.

That name is full of women with 

strong wills

a family connected like a constellation.

It means surprise visits

with no warning.

Such a name my sister loves 

while she stays strong

a reflection of her

younger self, standing up 

for what she believes in.

Standing her ground 

even if the whole 

world turned against her.

If you have a name like this 

there’s never enough quiet time.

There is too much laughter.

This name, like a string 

connects and pulls us together.

It’s my name,

That of one who

cannot wait for the 

sun to finally set.

It’s the name that, even if 

common, unites such different 

people under the same roof