Poem: Amateur Uncle
Book: Journey Through Perception
Chapter: Activation Phase II: Internalized Reflections
Background: This poem was written after much reflection of the difficulty I found in establishing a relationship with my nieces and nephews. The title uncle felt so queer to me. Most of that friction came from a lack of familiarity with what an uncle is supposed to do. In the poem you see me resenting the inattention I received from my elders, despite sowing the same seeds of inattention in my relationships. After writing this piece I sent it to my siblings with children old enough to understand my note of apology.