the nerve of you

your family,
being Italian
on your mother's side,
can hold a grudge like no other
family you
know of.
uncles don't talk for decades.
sisters have forgotten
what the fight was
all about, but still
are silent and cold
to one another.
god forbid you call anyone
out on
their behavior.
they turn it into a scene
from the godfather.
you're dead to me, they say.
how dare you tell me to stop
lying, cheating,
and being an unscrupulous
human being.
the nerve of you.
from now on, we're nothing.
it's a shame.