Family folds us in
in ways we didn’t know we could expect,
nets of connection bear us up,
many arms embrace us

So the mending begins,
of holes we mostly can’t even see,
things that must be obvious to others —
places we are leaking,

Why we seem to need to keep sleeping,
simple tasks that seem impossible —
At some time we will have to rise up
and reassume our former mantles.
But for now we’ll let ourselves be held
circled up in other people’s care.

©Wendy Mulhern
April 29, 2018