Family holidays - everyone cheerful happy sane
The bygone days when Ayla was carried by Grandma Jane
Time to go, say goodbye, collect the children
Ellen watching Emily practice her cello in the den
Quick kisses redressing of winter coats
Uncle Dan inquiring my father about his new boat
Toys were being collected food being wrapped
Directions to the new house being mapped
The remaining food put in Mom's basket and into the trunk
The more awake younger generation in the yard practicing 'slam dunks'
Saying goodbye leaves internal wishes of asking to stay
We could stay, its seems, for just another day
But we are one of the few who can make the homeward trip
Aunt Sue says to her sister in law 'You forgot the dip!'
My family begins to leave, holding the food and shoe horns
A sigh goes through the house for one who is too frail to come, we mourn
With out her the children grow older, hair thins and goes grayer
A wedding and a new child become even more rarer
My cousin stand quiet in the hallway
He's the last I have to say goodbye to today
Since we are cousins there is no reason to lie
And still awkwardly we say goodbye
Years later we have grown, gone to college, to work, we are still living
But that hug was the last I received from him, that past Thanksgiving
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