About Our Family Poem by RIC BASTASA

my sister is asking me
why we cannot be
for once
united for a certain cause

why we cannot make
a single stand on
a certain issue

why we can't live
in harmony with
each other
all five of us like one
solid and
loving family

i am not a fool to
think that this world
is and will always be
in harmony with
one another

countries living in peace
without any one
oppressing another
or feeling that way

i tell her that this is just
the reality of
heaven and earth

of clay and sand
of stones and
dust

that the influx of change
will always be
there and that the feet
of humanity always tiptoe
to keep a
certain balance
to eternity

not content with that
i showed her my hand
with five fingers
of different sizes
always never
the same
and cannot point to
one unified
direction

she is always loquacious
and discontented

but
i do not
really want to be bothered again

now i like
my mouth
shut.