By: Ma'lon H., Grade 10

Blood Ain’t Thicker

They told me family was a bond meant to last,

but I learned that love could fade just as fast.

I scrolled through their joy, their smiles so wide,

watched from afar, no place by their side.

“Why weren’t we invited?” I asked with a frown,

my mom sighed and said, “Not everyone wants you around.”

The party lit up every screen I could see,

a reminder that family wasn’t meant for me.

I turned to my sister, her silence was loud,

both of us, outsiders, to our family crowd.

I looked at my mom, hoping for a reason,

she met my eyes and said, “Not everyone’s heart holds room for you.

You’re not going anywhere you’re not invited,

not everyone stays through every season.”

She told me stories of wounds left to grow,

of words unspoken, yet heavy to know.

“Your grandmother worked hard to pave my way,

but envy made them turn love to decay.”

I sat there quiet, piercing it through,

realizing family isn’t always for you.

Their smiles on the screen felt empty and cold,

love was a language I was never told.

We weren’t just forgotten—we were ignored,

erased from the picture, our presence implored.

That night, I learned what silence can do,

it speaks the truth they’d never tell you.

I stopped waiting for calls that NEVER came,

stopped holding on to a one-sided game.

If they won’t speak, neither will I,

I won’t reach for hands that let love die.

From then on, I learned what to do—

give the same energy that’s given to you.

My mom showed me love they never could give,

taught me that family is how you choose to live.

She held me up when their silence cut deep,

proved some bonds aren’t worth trying to keep.

Through her, I learned what real love should be,

built on trust, not just shared history.

The family tree may have roots that run deep,

but some branches rot, too broken to keep.

I stopped waiting, watering what refused to grow,

let go of the ones who let me go.

Now I see family for what it should be,

not just blood, but who stands by me.

It’s the ones who show love without a disguise,

who lift me up, not feed me lies.

I’ve let go of the hurt, left the past behind,

and found my peace with the love I define.