It never occurred to me
When I realized that half is quite the difference
your hair was curly and mine straight

It never occurred to me
When you never called
Or when you barely came home to visit
When the gifts you gave
Told me you didn't know much about me
And weren't particularly interested in trying to

(But I kept them anyway,
Because maybe you did care)

It never occurred to me
When I started to forget
How you appeared in my life
Or when I kept your picture up on my bedside
For months after the fact

It never occurred to me
When I realized I never felt quite close enough
When I heard my name was still in your mouth
Despite not talking for years

But when I was in my comm class
And my professor said
Identities exist in relation with one another
It finally hit me.
I am not a sister,
Because I do not have one.