Opal Reflections
Perspectives through Prose, Poetry and Photography
Sibling Musings
Everything hurt! Yet there, beneath the sand,
A calming sense of clammy warmth filled me,
My brother piled it on, with scoop-filled hands,
And devilish and unrelenting glee.Though buried deep, I knew how effortlessly,
With burst of will and strength I could arise,
But choosing, in its stead, to simply be,
Enjoy the moment, Big Bro by my side.I wondered how he was before I cried
(He, the only child, their firstborn son),
that noisy day of birth, when I arrived
to share their fond attentions; My Act One.He’s always been there, sleeping or at play,
My brother made me who I am today.
*****
Written for Speakeasy 176, using “everything hurt” as the opening line, and making reference to the short film: Brother, an award winning animated film by Sari Rodrig.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH9HoOoTeCg)
11 Comments on “Sibling Musings”
I'd appreciate your feedback (Please, leave a comment)!
Lighthouse in the Mist, Cape May, NJ
Bandit
Festive View from the Pub, Peddler’s Village – Lahaska, PA.
Home Sweet Home
Opal Reflections 
Nice. I agree with Suzanne… the 3rd was magical.
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Thanks, Ted.
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Ah the buryings in the sand, I saw (and helped out with) quite a lot of that this summer as I was camping at the seaside for two weeks with cousins and friends 🙂
I’m not sure my brothers wouldn’t think that of each other but maybe that’s because they’re only two years apart so the older one isn’t mature enough to stop annoying the younger one and they don’t often get on well…
Still, this was a beautiful poem!
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Thanks. These little guys are two years apart as well, so I get what you are saying. Still, in calmer moments, they are really best friends to each other and it warms my heart as their grandmother to watch them burying each other on the same sandy shore where their uncle buried their mom, so many years ago! Thanks for your comment.
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🙂
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As a little brother, I can appreciate the surprising every day events (like burying each other in the sand) that bond siblings. My favorite phrasing in your poem: My First Act. Those three words tied up the sentiment in the rest of the stanza quite nicely!
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Thank you. I remember when their Mom was in labor with #2, and we were babysitting for the ‘first-born’. UP until that day he had been the center of everyone’s universe and we wondered how his life would be forever changed with a baby brother. Fast forward about a decade and its hard to imagine one without the other. Thanks for your comment and for your little bother empathy:)
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Beautiful – it brought a tear to my eye. The emotion jumped off the page; so strong I could taste the sand 🙂
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Yes – de-sanding before heading out to dinner was quite something. I am glad the emotion got through the words. it was beautiful to watch. What i didn’t show was the turnabout was fair play as they exchanged placed and the burier became the buried. Thank you for your comment.
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What a lovely tribute to brothers. Your third stanza, in particular, is fabulous. 🙂
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Thanks, Suzanne. I loved the video prompt! And of course, this recent photo from vacation, immediately came to mind. Thanks for giving me an excuse to use it😉
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