A Family Thing Poem by Donal Mahoney

Someone broke in the house
the weekend the elderly couple was
out of town, a family thing.

The TV, the couch and
computer were gone.
Someone took everything.
Even the silverware,
tables and chairs.

The couple had everything
insured except for the new
photos of their daughter.
They were in the computer
emailed by their son last week.

Kate was all smiles in the photos
and the couple wanted to have them
printed and framed and hung
on the living room wall
above the fireplace.

The weekend of the robbery
the elderly couple was out of town
at her funeral, a family thing.