Week 3, Question #3

In "Commitments", Hemphill's starts the poem by saying "I will always be there." What he means by this is that he will always be with his family during gatherings, special occasions, and for anything else that they need. He mentions himself in family photographs and how he views himself with empty arms. Towards the end of the poem he says "I am the invisible son." to me this means that he feels that his family does not see him for who he really is. He feels that he cannot be himself around his family. What I don't understand is why he feels this way. I can tell his family is extremely important to him so I have to assume that he is equally important to them. If this is true, then why would he feel that he could not be himself around them? Family loves you no matter what. There are no conditions to that love.