head hung low
he used to get that far off look in his eye whenever we talked about family.
I was looking at the floor too so
I was the only one who saw teardrops land on his toes
and when our teacher called for us to begin
our heads snapped up
and nobody could read us wrong.
later in the parking lot
while everyone cleaned
blood and sweat from the carpet and themselves
we held each other
and cried again.
now that he’s no longer part of our family
I wonder if he wouldnt mind
if I held him anyway.