Last week I drove to Seneca Falls, NY to spend time with my three sisters. What a gift! I’ve been writing a lot about them and our trip since my return. I could go on and on about what a wonderful time we had together, and about how much I miss them now that we’ve parted. This morning I wanted to write a slice about our time together, but I couldn’t figure out what to focus on.

While I was waiting for SOL inspiration to strike, Margaret Simon’s slice arrived in my Inbox. She shared her puppy-centered response to this morning’s Ethical ELA prompt. That prompt suggested using “The Important Book” by Margaret Wise Brown as a mentor for a poem. I, too, had written a response to that prompt this morning, but mine had focused on my sisters. Somehow, it had never occurred to me to share that poem as my slice today. Thanks for the idea, Margaret!

The important thing about sisters
is that they are always there for you.
They love you despite your faults,
and maybe even because of them.
They share your memories–
and sometimes augment or correct them.
They connect you to past and future.
They speak the family shorthand fluently
with a gesture
or a glance.
They are companions and confidants.
But the most important thing about sisters
is that they are always there for you.

©Molly Hogan