My Family of Choice

My Family of Choice

It's not that I don't choose

to love my blood family,

my extended family, my folks...

but where kin urge me to eat

that special food prepared with love

the family of choice encourages me

to remember nothing tastes as good
as abstinence feels.

While relatives would be aghast

at the food I've eaten from the trash,

stuffing it in out of sight, eating it all

so the remainder won't say it was there

the family of choice hears their own tale
when I tell mine, which I can there
for I know I'll be accepted.

There's love in both,
of that I have no doubt

but button pushing, guilt gifting,

the need to do it the way we always have

sets the two sides...
and my comfort level with them

on different planes.