Brother: Who You Became While I Was Away
grew a foot taller with no warning
works 12-hour shifts at Bestway Pizza
drives our sister to school
helps our grandfather sell dog biscuits at farmer’s market
keeps a pretty nice (pretty, nice) girlfriend
worries about the family alcoholic
worries about our mother
accepts that those are the same person
picked a college (that I don’t really approve of, but I’ll support anyway)
picked a major (that I do approve of)
writes a damn good speech
would’ve made your father proud
would’ve made our mother prouder (were she sober)
doesn’t make me anything but proud
is an unexpected present, a remarkable becoming.
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Brother is lucky to have such a keen observer for a sister, not to mention one who writes a damn good ode.