A message from a distant star
reached Earth after a few million light -years.
It says,"I love you my Little Blue Dot,
see you in a million years."

To be the black sheep of the family —
what a terrible thing to be.

All the neighbors and relatives
heap praise on my super-successful siblings
and hurl insults at me
at the first chance they get.

I know all too well –
it is their jealousy of my siblings' success
that they take it out on me.

If success is measured by
money and fame,
I am not going to take that bait –
I am happy as I am.

Insult me all you can,
I can take it all in.
For you can only give
what you have,
and for that reason
I forgive you.

I remain the black sheep
of my family–
by choice,
at peace and forever free.

Still there in a drawer
with other

baubles
knickknacks and what nots

I find you every time I look

and you
are still there

even though
the mirror tries to tell me otherwise

but like the needle

I have to look past and through
the creases the wrinkles

and through all the other junk
I've collected along the way

but you too
are

still there

So many have accumulated over time
all stacked on top of each other

in an open cardboard box
not a bin

trucks sedans
sports cars

of red yellow
and blue

scratched and chipped
mementos

of a well worn
youth

Living
if  you call it living

vicariously
through  you

a passenger on  every
trip

where
you always drove

Sweet
and gooey puffs

that stick to your teeth and cling
to your fingers

I'm there

where happiness coexists
with guilty pleasures

I'm there
but I haven't always been