My Other Whole

From the time I was born
I had a clone
Six minutes separating us
Same clothes
Same hair
Same smile
Same cute shy smile
For eight years
We were the definition
The epitome
The greatest example
Of twins…

As young girls
It was a struggle
Just to say each other’s names
Problem solved
I called her “Bo”
She called me…
“Bo”
Also
We became the same
To us
We were

As I grew
So did the questions
On the outside
I nod yes
With a grin
Yet on the inside
I wanted to say
With a sarcastic tone
“For the fifteen thousandth time…”
But I refrain

Like a broken record
I answer…
Because being a twin
Them
Looking on the outside in…
Equals curiosity
Because what they see
Is the definition
The epitome
Of twins

In case you were wondering….
We fight
We don’t always love being twins
We don’t switch glasses
Or switch classes
For there’s no need
And I know
I know
You wish you were a twin

We hit the double digits
I stepped out
I wanted to be different
Different clothes
Different hair
Different interests
Same smile
Same cute shy smile

We’ve become
On the outside
What we always were
On the inside
But that doesn’t stop the connection
We think alike
We simultaneously speak

I’ve learned
Not only do I have a twin
I have a teacher
A friend
My worst critic
And a second name…

From the time I was born
I had a sister….
My other whole
The definition
The epitome
The greatest example

I am
The same cute shy smile
I am “Bo”
I am
My sister’s twin

---Destiny Braddock