The Poor Relations

In the parking garage beneath

The Club, disembarked from someone-in-the

Family’s Buick,

The woman returning met the girl who left

Unfortunately wearing the same clothes,

Now

Too tight for her midlife waistline and with

Charm bracelets jingling; this was

Before she sold the gold.

They rode up the elevator, of course, how else would they

Ride up; and she handed her coat to

A uniformed maid who cast a jaded glance.

They walked across a totally marble

Atrium. But: “Jack, look, the plants are plastic!!”

Jack her true love,

There’s a tale! He was so alive that day!

She’d do it all again with the stupid-looking dress and

Hateful shoes to walk next to him through the family’s Club,

Slowly, in no hurry to join

The matriarch around that fire I think was real

With various siblings strange brothers-in-law nieces a few strays

Assembled to join the Relations’ favorite

Pastime, drinking.

Patcaplanandrews

Composed from 1986 to 2013