Weeds In The Garden

Tom Long, Chris Bakunas (fka Long), Kathy Long & her daughter Brittany Martin

My family isn't close, not all of us 

I've read about families that faced tragedy or misfortune

Banding together, sharing their strength with one another

That's not us though, we are not of that ilk

Tragedy and misfortune pushed us apart

It really is quite a shame

We have very little in common, my brothers and sisters and I

We don't like the same music or read the same books

If pressed, I guess I could come up with a few commonalities

None of us liked growing up poor

But as a consequence, we're all fairly thrifty

Several of us have traveled extensively

I think that must be a delayed reaction

To feeling trapped in that abysmal pit of a neighborhood we got stuck in

After Dad left Mom for the second of his four wives

Or was it five? I can never seem to get that straight

His Dad, my paternal Grandfather Arthur, he had three wives

And his Dad, Great-Grandfather William, he had three as well.

My paternal Grandmother Agnes, she was the rebel, only married the once
That I know of
Grandfather's mother, Great-Grandmother Martha, she had three husbands  

Those spouse counts are all subject to revision - up

Mom's side of the family, they all stuck it out with each other

Maybe they didn't like the idea of having to break in someone new

Still, the paternal family tree looks like a kelp forest

being ripped apart by the currents

I've been married twice myself

The first time for almost 23 months

The second time, well, that was never much of a marriage

Not only did I not ever live with the woman

I never even lived in the same state with her

Yeah, that's a story right there

So, my family, we're not close, not like I think families should be

It really is quite a shame

Might be a good thing though, with all the half-siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles

Postage for Christmas cards alone would probably bankrupt me