Best Family Reunion Poems
Summer Cooking
Loud cheerful sounds are heard under a pavilion
as family has united for a family reunion.
Always held in shorts and swimsuit summer weather
in a park surrounded by a forest of evergreens and a snaking river.
It's always potluck, so there is always plenty of food to go around.
Deviled eggs, a variety of pasta salads, and mounds of potato salads,
barbecue hamburgers and hot dogs, fried chicken,
smoked venison, fish, and wild hog.
A choice of wonderful, sinful, yummy desserts,
and ice coolers full of a variety of drinks.
Family reunions, a great time to see both familiar
and new faces and catch up on the latest gossip of everyone's lives.
7/2/2018
Poetry Contest: A Poem NA'd in a July Contest (Judged July 1-24, 2018)
Sponsored by: Dear Heart a.k.a. Broken Wings
N/A Summer Cooking 7/19/2018
Family Reunion
There is going to be a family reunion
Unlike the family of mankind has ever seen before
In a thousand million life cycles
Earth people will shout for joy
At the site of their brothers and sisters
Who have been long separated from them
Who have traveled and transverse
The entire expanse of the universe
For this planned together
Unlike previous and alleged sitings
This time is for keeps
Like a family picnic eating fried chicken and Aunt Ethel’s potato salad
Swamping stories and sharing pictures
And yes for you tech heads
A sharing of earth scattering technologies
An advanced team has been living here
In your space and on your own terms
But have laid low and kept quiet
When they that have been foretold
And prophesied by all human cultures
Return like the Blue Kachina
They will come in peace
They will come to share their ability to make love and not war
They will come to re unite and re union as one
With you
And you will re member
That we are a family
There is going to be a family reunion
Unlike the family of mankind has ever seen before
Waiting For The Day
We Reunite In The Sky
See You At The Gate
Let’s stay at Oinkington Inn the easily pleased relative said.
Her husband looked at brochure and said I’d rather be dead.
The pigs are lovely, she replied. There is nothing to dread.
He told her to go to her family reunion with her cousin Ned.
The sows and hogs were truly placated and fine.
We visited them near an old abandoned crystal mine.
You should come next time to the reunion, she said.
Best part is, a sow ran off with my mean cousin Ned.
When I was a kid, the family reunion was the highlight of the year.
Aunts, uncles and dozens of cousins came from far and near,
To meet at Memorial Park to eat, brag and enjoy the fellowship.
I was admonished by Mom to behave and not voice any sassy lip!
The ladies vied with each other to provide jello, cakes and pies,
Pertater salad, baked beans, termaters and heaps of chicken thighs,
Ham, peas and carrots, cole slaw and gallons of lemonade,
And home-made ice cream, the speciality of Aunt Clara, the old maid!
The patriarch of the clan was usually asked to bless the food.
Stomachs growled, flies swarmed, the old geezer wouldn't conclude,
Until his spouse of many years poked him saying, "That's enough!"
Then, all took a seat and elbows flew as they began to stuff!
After the meal was over, old folks would reminisce and muse.
Others found a shady spot to curl up and take a snooze.
Ne'er-do-well Uncle Wilbur would sneak a forbidden nip of booze,
While snobbish Cousin Sarah boasted of her Caribbean cruise!
The kids frolicked on the teeter-totters, swings and slides.
The older ones grabbed bats and balls and chose up sides.
Now I'm the patriarch and am usually called upon to pray,
But I make it snappy so we can get on with fellowship and play!
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
(© All Rights Reserved)
Entry for Craig Cornish's "The Park" Contest
An Unwelcome Surprise at the Family Reunion
By Elton Camp
“We certainly do hope that all his descendents will choose
To attend the reunion of the family of Grandfather Hughes.”
The newspaper announced the gathering’s time & location
To recall and praise a man so distinguished, with admiration
Grandfather has been a prominent and wealthy physician
Who had all that was expected of a man in his position
He and Grandmother resided in a most imposing estate
They were tended by maids, butlers and servants galore
For an honored ancestor they couldn’t really ask for more
But I must admit that most relatives looked down their nose
At those who didn’t have, as a noble ancestor, one of those
For snobs to say, “Of course you know that I am a Hughes”
Was a request for deference that very few would dare refuse
The family gathering began in the ballroom of the finest hotel
Men with tuxes and women in long dresses, looking so swell
All, their professions, wealth and accomplishments did mention
To inspire jealously with pretentiousness was their intention
At that moment, a family of blacks walked through the door
Their very presence the Hughes family did quite openly abhor
“It is obvious that you people made a mistake in coming here.
The service entrance for menial hotel workers is in the rear.”
“You mean this here ain’t the Hughes family’s big meeting?
I thought it was high time that my relatives I was greeting.”
Through the room gasps and expressions of outrage spread
Two fine ladies fainted away almost as if they were dead
The oldest Hughes came over and quietly grasped his arm
“Let me show you out so that the reunion you don’t alarm.
Your mistake is natural and it’s not any cause for blame.
Many unrelated people actually will share the same name.”
“No, no this is the place I meant to come I definitely know.”
The black man then extended his hand and called him “bro”
“You are mistaken man, for it is clear that you are a spade.”
“Only partly, bro. My father was from Mr. Hughes’ maid.”
Because of that, the reunion was never held any more
The Hughes clan felt it couldn’t be as it had been before
Bigotry was proved stronger than family ties that way
At least that is what all others in town did laugh and say
I think of the day
My sister stopped by
To visit me and my mother
We talked on and on
We enjoyed our time
And then we were joined by some others
A nephew of mine
Who was gone for some time
Suddenly walked through the door
Followed by people
Of most recent past
I wondered just how many more
But then a noise heard
Made me open my eyes
And realize it's only a dream
A moment in time
A feeling sublime
A tear laden beautiful scene
Rockman
*note* All of the above mentioned have passed away. I treasured that dream and hated to see it end.
In Family Reunion these thoughts I deride
all love that is given is blessed from inside
a hand that is passed from father to son
will hold a caress that is better than none
the love of a Mother, Sister and Daughter
will link to make problems smaller and shorter
the dance of your Cousins, Sisters and Aunts
A confidance booster that never says can't
proof of a holy war brought from hell
look at your t.v
4 families chosen to be made over
brought to the same place
see if they recognise their own family
and the family friend that knows the other 3
upper lower middle class
the different problems along the way
the mole who makes more mistakes
so eventually they realise we are all human
In the back of my mind
I am given this number(666) by lady luck to give away
in the midst of father time's conspiracy to love
told the angel of death is my bodyguard
as the meaning of life loved by the god's i create
worshipped by my own devil
mankind a simple sentence of this life lesson
to see this in my own reflection
the keys to this hidden in shocking metaphors
of horrors helping me overcome my fears
is the truth of there being no after life without the door i am
but going through christ to get to me, to mark my words
one day on vacation
the cruise ship of a lifetime
the four families i once knew and don't completely recognise
or perhaps am about to meet
the make over of these celebrities
the family reunion of reality
Apparently through my stolen empire
you are in possesion of
i have been running the show
and it is my turn
Where all of us would gather
we'd always see the roth.
Where family causing friendship
was query to the troth.
And everything we'd spoken
was words etched into life
Where flowing as they settled
were fears come back as trife.
That everything we wondered
were words we didn't like
And thoughts we were together
were fears unfounded pshyc.
That all our love together
was helping make it right
As all our time together
was found to be in sight.
That every thought we wondered
were never really taught
Until our course of action
was there to feel the knot.
(A Family Reunion)
The rook is sneaking up on us
But we don’t give a fig or a fraction
Because who is he anyway?
A one-directional bore snore really.
He slithers up and down the highway of life
Staying to corners, like a scared mouse.
The bishop refuses to let go of the knight.
No big surprise here. The knight can never shake him.
They are in some kind of parasitic relationship.
Not understood.
But also not bone-chilling
or even worth a second thought.
Where are the pawns? They are usually giggling all around.
This is a family reunion after all.
I ask, but no one knows.
They are growing older now, bringing boyfriends and girlfriends.
I roll my eyes, remembering those days of looking in the mirror.
Never thinking I was ever ready.
The king is sitting in a recliner clicking through TV stations.
Other semi-kings are giving him advice.
“Not that one!” “That one!” “Dad!” “Granddad!”
Nothing new here.
I know the queen will be in the kitchen with fresh-baked rolls.
Cookies, brownies, and six kinds of pies.
So that is where I head of course.
Does one summon
Dozen cousins
8/30/19
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr. 2019
We at the family reunion, and if you know anything about the Black Family Reunion
You already know it was like a 3 ring circus
Wow, so where do I begin.......
Of Course you know we had that wild trash talking uncle on the grill reminiscing about
The things that they use to do when they were kids there was even more trash talking at the table
During a game of spades with folk cracking joke on each other and gambling
A little something, something trying to get paid
There was a bunch of family trying to stay cool while chilling in the shade with something cold to drink
And we all know at a Black Family Reunion it wasn’t no lemon aid
It was only 2 o’clock in the afternoon and these folks were bent
Mama was walking around fussing and cussing talking about
“All the money I’ve spent on food and drinks and ain’t nobody else bring a got, dam, thing.
I bet they better not leave here with A, GOT, DAM, THING!”
I’ve seen like cousin that I haven’t seen in years there all half dressed with there fast asses
Trying to show my aunties and uncle all of the latest dances
WHO IN THE HELL MADE THIS POTATO SALAD, it sure do look good
See at the Black Family Reunion you got to ask questions like that
Because everything that looks good, ain’t always good
DAM, Rondey and Tony are fight again
These are 2 brothers, but they act like they’re not even friends
This ain’t the time to air your dirty laundry out
I hope they break it up before something gets broke
Then everyone will have to get out
So my dad told the Dj to turned up the music real loud
This was his why of keeping the cop from coming around
So we all came together and started getting down
Man I’ll tell you it ain’t nothing like a Black Family Reunion
But United we’ll stand no matter how good, bad, or crazy we’re doing
What can you say...its family
Uncles and Aunts standing all around
So many I love yous, I feel i could drown
I take one step forward, I take two steps back
Im bombarded by people who just want to yack
Cheeks that are aflame from the pinching they've endured
From elderly relatives saying how much ive matured
From Rowdy young boys playing ball in the fields
To old ball capped men conversing on this years crop yield
Grandkids lining up and sitting side by side
Bubbling with exitement to go on a tractor ride
From corn on the cob to down home fried chicken
No where else could you find such good pickens
As we gather together and in thankful union we pray
I know that i will always remember these family reunions as special days
The Family Reunion
By Elton Camp
The relatives gather once a year
Come from all over to be here
A chance friendships to renew
But look at what it is they do
It seems to me not to be very nice
Each has his nose in some device
Laptops, games iPhones galore
It’s a situation all should abhor
Text messages and e-mail fly
To reunite they don’t even try
For it’s a shame and disgrace
No conversations face-to-face
If they’re going to do this way
At home is where they should stay