His fingers meander—intrusively—across the sleeve
Of his brother’s  Armani double-breasted blazer    ash gray
He paints a scowl on his face
Rolling his eyes      he asks
How much did that set you back
His brother fails to respond
Label whore   he hisses under his breath
 
He steps back    takes a deep breath
Maybe this isn’t the time
To unleash his disdain
After all, he and his younger brother
Have not locked eyes  
In more than two decades
 
He blames their father      always placing his brother on a pedestal
Offering praise like it was a plated gourmet dish  
Served with delicate herbs    garnish
 
Moves closer to his brother     leans down slightly
He grunts
You always felt entitled
Eyes closed, the younger brother still does not answer  

The elder brother ponders why he agreed to come
Nothing’s changed  
A slight tap on his shoulder     he turns around  

It’s time
Explains the mortician
He lowers the lid of the casket   latches it shut
Locks the gasket  

The thunderous sounds of
How Great Thou Art
Played on a pipe organ
Reverberates throughout the cathedral  

Face flushed      sweat beads leave a watery trail
He balls his fists
Storms out of the sanctuary  

* This poem is inspired by the Old Testament relationship between brothers Esau and Jacob