Uncle…

in the immortal words
of Debbie Reynolds
in the Unsinkable Molly Brown
“Uncle”

you win
I give up

for 40 years I have watched you
and been in awe

my beautiful baby sister
I have bragged about your accomplishments
and suffered your injustices
I have admired your wit and sense of humor
and been jealous of your connection with people

and for 40 years
you have been treating me
like something that should be
scraped off the bottom of your shoe.

this week has been the final straw
I promised Mom that we wouldn’t get into it
so I haven’t addressed this with you
in a clear concise manner

but hear me now
I quit
you will no longer have the power to hurt me
you will no longer have the power to make me cry
you will not ruin another night
you will not ruin another day
you will not ruin another birthday
you will not

for years – when I spoke of you
my beautiful baby sister
my heart would pound
and my chest would swell
with admiration
with pride

now
I am nothing more than
ashamed of what you have become
you are mean
you are angry
and you are sad

it breaks my heart
that I have more love from strangers
than my own baby sister
but I swear
I quit

this is it

“Uncle”