Family Reunion-We are Family

                     

When it comes to family reunions,

Everyone has a story to tell.

Even if things don’t go well,

Everyone has a memory to treasure,

What matters most is the time spent together.

No matter the family name

Every reunion seems the same.

There’s always a favorite Grandpa,

Or Grandma,

A favorite Aunt or Uncle,

Who keeps the family going.

Without knowing,

They are the family glue

That cements the memories
everyone holds onto.

If we keep living,

There are some things that are a given

One day, we will be gathering
in our favorite park under a tree

Trying to see what we can see,

Checking out everyone that comes within sight,

To see if their pants are too tight

Or their skirt is too short.

There is always the gathering of the family court.

The women gather to discuss
who has gained weight since last year

While the men go where the women can’t hear,

Grab a brew and discuss who is doing who.

It’s almost like a competition.

The one you least expect makes an admission.

Of all people, Uncle George, says he’s been creepin

While Aunt Mamie is sleepin.

Everybody looks at him and rolls their eyes

Cause they know he ain’t doing nothing but talking lies.

You see, it don’t take a wizard

To determine that Aunt Mamie is, as Grandma would say,

Crazier that a road lizard.

Besides, Uncle George just ain’t going out that way.
He knows from experience that Aunt Mamie don't play.
Every family has a Madea.

To box the children’s ears

And keep everyone else in place.

There is always the family disgrace.

You know, the person who gets drunk and throws up all over the place.

Inevitably, somebody makes a liquor run and disappears

Only to reappear

Like magic, just before everyone says their last goodbyes.

Nobody bothers anymore to wonder why.

What would a reunion be without a little excitement?

It seems as if someone is hell bent

On causing a fight.

It doesn’t matter, because this time next year nobody remembers that night.

Well, they might remember,

But come September,

They are already making plans for the next reunion.

After all who wants to miss the family reunion?

When it’s all said and done, we are and always will be, family.

We will always forget our differences and sing, “We are family

I got all my people with me.”

We are family!

copyright Patricia Newman-Harris