Uncle Tom Poem by Bryan Corbett

after years of
being single
(and assumed by all in the family to be gay)
my Aunt Carla
met a nice man
at work

they dated for months
and fell in love
he popped the question
on Christmas Eve
in front of the whole family
we all toasted the happy couple
hugged and kissed and cried
tears of joy
he would be
one of us

super nice guy
always there with a helping hand
or a kind word
and most important of all: he is
always doting on Aunt Carla

only one dissenting voice
from Grandpa Lou
who
was somewhat concerned
that her new-found love
is black
and how their future children
might have some difficulty
growing up with interracial parents
in today's judgmental society

Uncle Mike agreed
Uncle Steve did not
Uncle George grunted
while soon to be Uncle Barbara
abstained from the conversation entirely

my only concern
about the whole affair
was what we
nieces and nephews
would call him
his name is:
Tom