My Sister

My sister

is the strongest

person

I've ever known,

though she would argue

she is the weakest.

In truth,

she is both.

She is

a record breaking

olympian

so fatigued

her gold medal

weighs her down.

My sister

is the one

who calls the funeral home,

who makes the arrangements,

who touches the body

to make sure it's cold

to make sure it's happening

and it's real,

so the rest of us

don't have to.

She is

a world famous

singer

whose voice strains

to endure the

burden of its own beauty.

My sister

is the one

who combs through the pictures,

who cleans up the mess,

who picks out the music

that will play

while I

say good-bye

to my mother.

She is strong

and weak

so that I

don't have to be.

She is my sister

and she has always

been there for me,

kept her promises,

told me the truth,

and forgiven me

for all the ways

I fail

to be more like her.