family
means everything

presence
is far more relevant
than paternity

being alone
answers more to being there
than it does to perception
or notion,
preconceived
or mostly
or for the most part

while blood
doesn’t mean bond
and strangers tend to notice
who you are
in crowds

relationships are formed,
not passed down

heavy is the crown
who wears loyalty
and support
and understanding
without force,
by choice
and comes to aid
and stays
beyond the joy
or the pretty
or the idea of

titles mean nothing
unless they do
intention means nothing
unless they do
people mean nothing,
unless they do

family
is what you call
those who relate
and those who care
and those who try to
those who share
regardless
without relent
but with intent
without reservation
or dissent
with reckless abandon
and character,
integrity
and intense
those who share
and go the distance,
no matter the distance

belonging
is a consideration
often missed

people come into your life
to replace those who left
or never showed up
or that you never met
or those you’d rather forget
because their love was not
neither real, nor recognized
unrequited, with no regrets
forced, with no reflex,

reflect

family
is the life you choose
the love you choose
the type, you choose
not by default
but by decision
that you choose
to put up with
to put up with you

need is subjective
and not always met
want, is something else

choose wisely

family
means everything
titles and roles don’t
family will
titles and roles, won’t
family will prove itself
titles and roles, can’t

choose wisely

family means more
than gathering
or having
or lineage
or anything outside of being,

those who choose you
know exactly
how to be,
Family.

-see

©2014 Cornelious “See” Flowers
@seethepoet