happy birthday, mike

my big brother
it was on this day
eight years ago
that i last spoke to him.

it was after his death
that i started going by the name
“em”
he was my “M”
he was mike; i was mary jo
in our family
there were two P’s
two S’s
and the two M’s
he was my “M”

now i am alone
em alone

i miss my big brother