There

Today is April 14

Planning his birthday for May

And Turnipseed’s daughter is in a play

Will Porp come, or Meghan?

Will it matter?

He won’t be there

We’ll order appetizers and beer

He liked Dunkel, once

Then the birthday toast, with a “car bomb”

Guinness and Baileys

You have to chug it, Mum

Too much

It’s too much

It’s been too much for fifteen years

TJ will come if he can

And Jenny

TJ still hurts

And me, when I look at him and remember

Their jokes and silliness

Their secret language

TJ lets me hug him

He’s kind that way

He stood in James’ wedding

A brother by another mother

Unable to say Malc’s name

In the toast

And James will face-time

He is absent too

But not forever

He will be there when we need him

And always in our hearts

He is there

With his brother

They will forever be together

There

Advertisement