A Family Tradition Of Restraint... Poem by RIC BASTASA

papa is not
fond of hugging his children

perhaps it is part
of family restraint
a culture which shies away
from affection
perhaps for fear of pain
when finally departures
come

i was never embraced by
papa
and so did my sister
and i had not seen him
hug mama either

was there something wrong
with the family?
grandpa too was like him
not saying a word or so
in the happiness of the home

there is no big head in the
family
nothing flattery
when someone is sick when
someone dies
there, there, all of them
are crying

orange is served
with a biscuit
a glass of water
and the parakeet.