I went to a funeral today
Heard all these kind words
And wondered about my own memorial
With my finite self
Wondered what words
What tales
What lies
What truths
What secrets
What stories
If you say anything
Please say I cared
Say I loved
Say your name was important in my mouth
Call out the names of babies missing
Killed
Abused
Women torn
Broken
Men beaten
Lost
Please remember me in your search
For justice
For healing
For connecting
Say a poem
About fingers feeding the hungry
Bring shoes for some stranger's feet
Throw my ashes in the wind
And dance
Hug a neck you never knew
Call your mother
Visit your father
Spoil your children
Kiss your brother
Rub your sister's back
Remember me with your feet
Your food
Your water down an old woman's throat
Your balm dripping wet and cold and sting
Down a man's back
Like storm
Remember me with your be
Your am
Your moments
Still and small and precious
Black ass poems. Black ass stories. Black ass art. Black ass life. Black ass love. Black ass hate. Black ass parenting. Black ass depression. Black ass mania. And other stuff too.
Remember me with your feet
ReplyDeleteYour food
Your water down an old woman's throat
Your balm dripping wet and cold and sting
Down a man's back
Like storm
YES... thank you!
I have to tell you: sometimes I read your poetry and don't write what's on my mind because you've already done it so well. I have been thinking a lot about what would my funeral be and what I hope people would say, would believe, would remember, what I hope would be the result of having known me, how they would know that their name was always "safe in my mouth."
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