surviving mi familia during the holidaze

jeepers creeps how i miss them
my parents
my children
the aunties and uncles
my nephews and nieces
the ex-sister-in-laws
the 2nd cousin first removed
the ex-3rd cousin remarried
the 'they've been around my whole life
so they must be relatives'
& we even adopted a blonde
& a redhead
who are now off to college
the adopted ones
doing 'the best' from the
natural borns
says alot for genetics

& i missed them until
the 'drama' as the kids like to say
starts in
each room a different conversation
a different direction
and when you walk down the hall
you get side swiped
& by gossipy osmosis
information gets moved about
what was
a minute ago
is not
now

until a tension
an irritation sets in
& i just want them to take their presents
& go home
or i want to take my gift certificates
& go home
i don't want to be an orphan
or a hermit
forever
just right now
just until a peace can settle in
& i'll miss them again.