The Family

You get tired of the sadness
And you start to look away
That’s who’s here, that’s what’s left
Tunnel visionaries, consumed by calendars
Calculated scheduling
Why waste time trying anything?
It’s just my time, my history,
My collected reflections, my unbroken connections
I knew who you were before you decided to be
I remember everything they told me
I was in the driveway
I watched them leave
I heard he left the country
I heard she was only twenty-two
Miles and mountains to ease the guilt
Lessen the penance
He’s closer to God now
He’s farther from you
You can’t make it unhappen
They deserve to know
They’ll find out
The children of war keep trying
They know they can survive