Niblings

Nibling: A gender neutral term for a niece or nephew

The niblings all accrete but once a year
No quibbling here ‘neath tight manners
Taught smiles advertising banners
To proclaim our success
Proving our place at table,
A holiday less the rest,
Jarred by disconnect unable
To break the surface tension
And dive frog-like to deeper places
The weather gets a mention
Skirt around politics or races.
Look into eyes and smiling faces
So like your own
But oddly grown by other choices
You’re squeezed into other’s boxes
Babble of voices and queries
Alone surrounded
Feeling voiceless and wearied
Family dynamics compounded.

Joe Blogs, 2020