Clan
by Vaughn Neeld

In the midnight chill
I listen to other voices—

voices of the lonely,
the dying, the rejected,
the loved, the missing—

voices that mingle
with the sounds of night.

I celebrate joys and sorrows.
I weep with those who need to weep.
I laugh with those who like to laugh.

I listen for echoes of my own voice
in those of others.

Late at night, I’m also
lonely, dejected, desiring to be loved,
to hold and be held.

I add my voice to honor the dead,
to remember the missing,
to celebrate all of the missing voices.

I acknowledge our oneness
for we are each other.

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