Nephew

I am 45, living nephew to
3 dead uncles.

Doug was an overweight detective
in his grave at 40
heart attack while swimming.

Brian was a jazz buff
lover of the clarinet
with late diagnosed cancer
of the everything.
I’m thinking he was 80.

Bill never married, traveled widely,
wisped away wild-haired at 75
smoking defiant fags in
ambulance bays
before succumbing to sadness
and whatever sadness uses.

I am 45, living uncle to
2 living nephews.

How shall we say goodbye?