My sister and I

Boundaries are such a beautiful thing
I wish I knew what they were when I was 8
Quite frankly, who I was then I almost hate
Though it’s a strong word let me iterate
Fostered till I was 3, adopted at 6
Taught to believe my life was great
Till one day I actually heard my sister cry
Not understanding why or a word she’d say
Until the day we were asked to agree
That we wouldn’t mind being sent away
Atterbury Job Corps was the place
Our adopted Mom in the hospital
Not having the greatest of days
Me still not quite understanding
We’re still just kids in all the midst
An agreement was made as I hesitate
Not wanting to leave I let out a sigh
Wasn’t sure if the life I was living
Was ever actually even mine
A little naïve but never blind
Observing all that’s in front of me
No longer feeling a need to compete
A lot in the house went unseen
Manipulation, lies, hypocrisy and deceit
My sister and I had become obsolete
Some things hit harder with time
Overall the experience opened my eyes
I realized this was our time to shine
This life was always truly, hers and mine
Going separately in direction was fine
Knowing we’d cross paths down the line
Dealing with our own battles as we stride
Life hardened her in ways I couldn’t imagine
It softened my hurt until all I had was compassion
It wasn’t until one day I looked in the mirror
The past came in waves, each time more clear
Many differences, yet similarities we share
I guess growing up together made me aware
Just 2 individual candles with different flare
One thing for certain is we no longer compare

This poem is about: 
Me
My family
My community
Our world

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