Always, there were Uncles

 

Uncle Mick with Aunt Diane

who once found me weeping in a cubby

and explained that, in this family, we show love

by picking on one until she cries

 

Uncle Jerry with Aunt Debbie

who did the dumbest things

but did not despair

instead, she shared the tales for laughter’s sake

 

Uncle Tom, the one and only

my most constant family and friend

not a Christmas in my life without him

the caring son until the very end.

 

There wasn’t always a father

but one year he came through

and gave me $10 to buy presents

for brothers, mother, uncles, cousins, grandmothers, and himself.

 

For Uncle Tom,

an envelope of tiny tacks and a plastic shark on wheels

he played with it for hours

and made me laugh until I could not breathe.

 

Later, there were still three uncles

but two of them were my brothers, Uncle Roger and Uncle Ed

the last Christmas I remember us all together

the most remarkable things were said

 

Grammy said we need not save the wrapping paper

to be used another time

and we really are not Irish

Pap Pap had told a lie