During the class, the following poem was submitted for review in week 10 and revised for the manuscript.

Four Brothers

A dinner conversation with

My mother brought up the topic and

Subsequent reminiscing of

Four brothers known during my youth.

Split in the middle, they sandwiched

Me, two older and two younger.

Her friend, their Midwestern mother

And a generational wealth

Heiress born into privilege.

Their father from the Middle East,

An attempted entrepreneur

And a man I can’t remember.

Never seen together, but both

Operated under the hands-

Off approach, ignoring over

Discipling, leading to wild and

Destructively dramatic acts

By their unruly, untamed boys.

Actions such as setting fire to

The house driveway with gasoline

And a stolen box of matches

Or stealing crab legs off the tray

As the Red Lobster server walks

Toward a different table.

Rebellious, yes, but also

Mesmerizingly amusing

With humor and intelligence.

At times, they even showed more

Caring, sensitive sides making

It a joy to be around them.

Misunderstood boys trying to

Navigate U.S. public school

Through early nineties racism while

Actively practicing Islam.

Balancing the values of the

Two cultures they were born into.

When their parents divorced, their mom

Remarried and moved the boys west.

Unfortunately, Muslim names

Are like finding a Matt Smith or

Billy Evans, too many hits

To shift through in a Google search.

So, I’m left with the memories

And an attraction for dark haired,

Dark eyed, cynically witted

Men with pale skin, their legacy.

I wish they knew in Ohio

Someone fondly remembers you.