I recall,
The time,
On New Years,
Gathered in the living room,
My mother's family,
Rachel and me,
Sisters,
Ella,
Joe,
The others,
The sum total,
Of the cousins.

Celebrating,
Laughing,
Playing,
Definitely eating.

We were in,
A circle of prayer,
When the electricity,
Shorted out,
And it was pitch black.

I started to sniffle,
Because I was terrified,
That the lights,
Wouldn't come back on again,
And when it was my turn,
To pray,
I said,
"I'm scared,
It's dark."

After,
Rachel made fun of me,
And I was,
To be honest,
Quite irked.

Little did I know,
That just a year later,
Rachel would,
Be in the ground,
Making fun,
No more.

Ella was,
Always my favourite,
But I regret,
Not liking Rachel  more,
For that time,
Has passed,
Forever doused,
In a never ending,
Shadowy blackout.

I was always annoyed,
Because Rachel,
She annoyed me,
Maybe because I was so young,
And she,
Basically an adult.

But I wish,
I could dispel,
The annoyance,
That I felt,
And infuse those times,
With love.

I want to tell her,
That everyone misses her,
That we all loved-
Still love,
Her,
So I do,
In a prayer,
Asking God,
To deliver the message.