Born of love and need to protect
Mergered souls are flawed but perfect
Safety in the darkest of nights
Family is where hearts unite.
Mainstreams have eddies of reject
Dysfunction that we can’t accept
Ridicule sears, heat that bites, (but)
Family is where hearts unite!
Born from genes or proxy project
Sustained affection and respect
Each one of us maintains our might
Family is where hearts unite.
I want to stress in my kyrielle form poem that “family” can mean any configuration of any living (or dead) beings on the planet and beyond (religion anyone?) The key components are choice and love.
Morgan Dragonwillow (and today’s co-host, Esther Jones) is the host of OctPoWriMo. Esther says:
Today’s Prompt: Family
Word Prompts:
Brother
Sister
Blood
Chosen
Love
Suggested Poetry Type: Kyrielle
Abstract artwork is “Nuclear Family” John L. Payne
Even thought the artist describes a mushroom cloud in the painting, I saw it as a tree and chose it. Giving it more thought, it can serve today, with my poem, a dual purpose. The first would be the harmful nature of dysfunctional families with the radioactive cloud. The second can be as a tree, where trees could be considered part of our Earth family.
Today’s poem is also linked to dVerse‘ Open Link Night (OLN), hosted by Lillian today, who is serving up hot cocoa and also potent potables by request.
Tao Talk 
Through tumultuous eddies in life, families are those who unite….what a beautiful thought. Families can be the foundation on which we stand…..knowing that if our roots go astray, or are burned by drought or flooded by tears….the foundation should always hold us firmly.
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I like the way you said that, Lillian 🙂
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I think that even in the worst of circumstances there is a family somewhere to be found.
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Yes.
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In whatever form, I think that family is what we make it, and what we make of it.
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Exactly, Ken. If the bio family is too toxic, there are people who can become “fictive kin.”
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I like the repeated line: “Family is where hearts unite!”
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Thank you, Frank. The poem began with the definition.
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Never enough written about family. Well said here!
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Thank you much, Bev.
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I enjoyed reading how you chose the art to go along with your poem Loved the first line “born of love and need to protect”, that can fit any form of family! Lovely.
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🙂 Thank you much.
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A pleasure!
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Lovely poem about the family unit, which can be created in so many ways.
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Thanks, Arcadia 🙂
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I so agree that family is often what we make it and not necessarily biological. A lovely expression of union with others, however that may show up.
Gayle ~
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Thank you, Gayle 🙂
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Family is definitely where the hearts unite and it need not be biological family always. Well said.
I too saw the tree in the picture. 🙂
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🙂 Thanks Punam.
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My pleasure. 🙂
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Nice use of the form. And nice to be reminded of the strengths of families. Sometimes I wonder…
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Sarah thank you and glad you found a connection to the poem.
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I always aim for “agree to disagree,” otherwise I’d probably spend my time mad at everyone. I don’t have to be right all the time, and staying quiet doesn’t mean I’ve “lost” the argument. These are things it’s taken me years to learn, by the way.
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Thanks for your comment, Cie. I’m glad you have learned to navigate to a place you’re ok with in regards to your family interaction. In some ways I’m too much like them to ever expect tolerance. At the same time, it feels often I was a cuckoo egg dropped in my family’s nest.
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Love this Li! Beautifully written!✌️
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Thank you, Richa 🙂
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Well put Jade. And I agree about the art. (K)
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Thanks, K!
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My heart feels squishy reading your lovely, truthful words. ❤
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Awwww I’m glad.
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Like to like is what works.
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lovely refrain, family is those who respect and care … well said!
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Thanks, Kate 🙂
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pleasure Lisa!
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I didn’t know about this form. I like it a lot- less demanding than a villanelle, but with that lovely repetition at the end of each quatrain. I l really appreciated the way you portrayed the problematic as well as the delightful side of family life. I looked up the definition of a kyrielle and it came with an example, but I much prefer yours. I like rhyming poetry to appear effortless – it speaks to the poets facility with her craft. Yours flows very nicely indeed.
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Christine, thank you for your most kind comment and feedback. We’ve been doing a lot of forms this OctPoWriMo.
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Family is a beautiful thing and must be cherished. Life isn’t easy, but it makes a difference when there’s someone who’s there for you, no matter what.
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Agreed. Thank you for reading and commenting.
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