You are my sister
Very privileged am I, to be your brother
Yes, technically are you my cousin
However, that's like saying nothing
Because, to me, are you very dear
And thanks to you, need I not fear!

You are my sister
Beautiful, is your character
Not that you lack external beauty, though
Ignoring you is as tough
As clearing CA in the first attempt
At understanding people, are you very adept!!

You are my sister
Like you, can there be no other
As sweet as milk chocolate
And impossible to hate
You are also very brutally honest
And never do you boast!!

You are my sister
Often can I be a great bother
However, you are exceedingly patient
And never are you absent
When I am in need
Sometimes, your advice have I failed to heed
But you have taught me valuable lessons
And helped make me a better person!!

You are my sister
Last year, many times have I been rather bitter
However, for me have you always been there
Even if I have been a massive bore
For my behaviour, will I make amends
May we strengthen our bond!!

You are my sister
With you, would I love to banter
Not to mention, are you a fabulous mother
And soft and silky as a feather!!
May God bless you, my dear
For you, do I deeply care
I repeat, you are my sister
And very proud am I, to be your brother!!

Dear Nithya
Wish you a very very happy birthday!!
I am sure this birthday will be that much more special
Given the momentous event that is going to happen
An event that will change your life for the better
Well, I've known you since I was a kid
Though we haven't met frequently
Nor have we spoken a lot
But I've always been fond of you
You are a very nice person
Very warm, friendly and jovial by nature
You bring a lot of cheer
To everyone around you
Not a single moment with you
Can ever be called "boring"
You are so witty
That the Sorting Hat will scream "Ravenclaw!!"
The moment it touches your head
Also, you are very sensitive
And care deeply about your family, cousins and friends
We've had some great times
Whether it be India, US or Ireland
Coming to Ireland, you were an excellent tour guide
The incredible views of the Pacific Ocean from the Cliffs of Moher
Continue to give me goosebumps to this day
And Glendalough Upper Lake was nothing less than Paradise on Earth!!
Finally, I shall never forget the moment
When we had the finest Irish beer, at Temple Bar
Then, as far as US was concerned
The cruise on Lake Michigan was absolutely unforgettable
As were the views from Hancock Tower
Not to mention, the picnic we had at the Chicago Bean!!
Anyway, coming back to you
I hope you have a day to remember
Wish you loads of love, happiness and merriment
And may the Lord bless you!!

You are not exactly a sibling of mine
However, you are my sister
And that's all that matters, according to me
What would I do without you?
I rant and rant
Knowing that you are an amazing listener
And a shoulder to cry on
However, it is providing sound advice
Where you are really in your element
Not to mention, you don't beat around the bush
Nor do you sugarcoat things
Both of which, are qualities that resonate with me particularly well
Moreover, you always offer a fresh perspective
Whether it be work or personal stuff
Best of all, though, you are ice cool
I seriously don't know how you manage to do it
Because, in these two months, I've been behind you
And there hasn't been a single week
When you haven't been subjected to a barrage of messages
Would I have taken such liberties with you
If I weren't sure how you would react?
The answer is a resounding no
Moreover, not only are you cool with it
You also come up with solutions
For each and every problem
As I write this, things are looking up
And in no small part due to you
I'm extremely grateful to God
For giving me a sister like you
As I said earlier, what would I do without you?

There are many kinds of love
Romantic love, the most common
And also the most overrated
Family love, probably the most beautiful
And most unconditional as well
Platonic love, or friend love
Again, simple and unconditional
Something that has become very popular these days
Which leaves us with.....cousin love
Yes, one of the most underrated forms of love
Seeing as it is not frequently talked about
Well, most families stick together
So do best friends
However, there are a few things
Which you may not feel comfortable sharing with your family
Usually, the best option is to share such things
With your friends instead
Or rather, your best friend
But then, it is also possible
That you may not have a best friend
In such a case, your best bet would be your cousins
Cousins are part of your extended family
And they also know your immediate family well
Remember, you don't always have to choose between two extremes
Sometimes, you have to take a middle path
That's exactly where your cousins come in
Because they will listen to you fully
Without getting too emotionally involved or overprotective
And in addition, they may have suggestions
That might not have occurred to your family or friends
So, cousins are more important
Than most people might think
And it is high time
That we start showing love to our cousins as well
Along with family and friends, of course
But yes, not all cousins are the same
Just as it is better to have a select few close friends
With whom you can share anything
Rather than a big group of fair weather friends
It equally makes sense
To maintain close relationships with a select few cousins
Who mean the world to you
And always have time for you
Yes, cousin love is extremely underrated
But at the same time, very valuable
And something to be cherished, forever

"How do you spell UFO?"

-Jet (age 4)

When a little kid falls over,
The silence that follows after is the worst.
Because their either absolutely fine,
or filling their lungs with enough air to mimic an air raid siren.

As we approach the bushes
On the outskirts of the woods,
Birds call to us
Playfully taunting us to join them.

Our fingers reach through branches
Carefully avoiding thorns.
Our eyes search
For the perfect raspberry.

The buzzing of bees
Trying to beat us to the juicy fruit,
Is interrupted by his voice.
His older cousin wisdom:

“The darker the red,
The tastier the berry.”

Red juice stains my fingers
As I bring the fruit to my lips.
Sweetness explodes
Inside my mouth.

I look up at him
And offer up my thanks
In a red-stained smile.

Who, who do I love,
One heart,
Many takers.
I am mum's world,
Dad's dream come true,
Granny's  heart of gold,
Grandpa's hero,
My sister's champion,
My uncles, my aunts, and my cousins, all love me too,
My best friend and even my friends want a piece of my heart,
Not to forget the old lady who lives across the street,
Even my neighbour's daughter,
But I already have a girlfriend
who wants my whole heart.
Who Who to give,
Who Who to share with,
Now, that's a dilemma.
Should it be you, you or you.
Grandpa came to the rescue,
Son, take a cup of tea,
Put as much sugar as you want in it,
The sugar will go on dissolving making the tea sweeter,
So take in all the love,
And part with the sweetness to everyone.
8/6/2019

I met a cousins i hadn't met in years
Changed over time,
I couldn't recognize his clanly features
With a 'hi', long time no see' intro
I played along just to get to know him more
Apparently we hadn't met for nearly
Ten years or so
No wonder i couldn't recognize him
When he called
I think he realized i had no clue
On what conversation we were on
But it wasn't my fault though
Or is it...?
He rarely travels home
Times have really passed
I envy those of us who came first
Taking a trip down memory lane
I miss when i was a kid
Back when i knew all my cousins by name
It's a shame
Right now if asked
I would only manage to name but a handful of them
Then give a bunch of excuses so lame
Of how i have no idea of where some even stay
Times have really changed
I looked around and all i see
Are cut tree stems
I contemplate if it's because
I'm now grown up
Or it's us not playing our card right
If i were to put tabs in how many times
We met chat and laughed
I'll be drunk by now
If my bet went for functions and funerals
Funny how we pretend to care
When we are never even there
I'm told we need a cause to share
We've all gone the wrong way i swear!

Akwana Wa Odera
@therealakwana
© 2018