Around my neck the dog tag military style chain
Worn it for years
Don't care for the gold bling-bling
Hanging on this chain one small trinket
Flat round and silver
Embossed with the word 'family'
Shining brightly I'd never take it off
Only when I'd shave
And it's sheen never dulled until today
Irish by birth the 'family' has been my rock
Always there always fair
Until all I've put them through became too much
I never knew there was a thing
As too much
When it came to family it was more than name
It was blood.
Now they don't speak to me or return emails
Inbox is empty
Everyday I wish for only one small sentence
A few weeks ago I lost the necklace for the first time
Initially frantic
Then forgotten as my anger grew I was glad
Today looking through my tote bag full of junk
There it lay
Familiar chain with the flat ring.....'family'
I looked closer at the discoloration of rusted beginnings
And thought 'how ironic'
It's the same color rust
Which through my eyes
I now see clearly.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem