Bubba

When I was a little girl
My Uncle Bubba was
The smartest man I knew
He used to write me letters
From prison about what books
To read and about white folks
And growing up black in this
World and I lost the letters
And he is dead so what do
I know now

Who is there now to
Tell me what happens in
Prison and why was it
Important for me to know

His friends on the streets used to
Call him Brother Bob and they would
Hang out in front of Hansen's Liquor
And drink and do drugs behind
The wall and he used to tell them
How he wouldn't share needles
And they thought he was crazy
But like I said he was the smartest
Man alive

And maybe had he lived
We would talk about the president
And politics and who I am dating
Or not I don't know

I only know I miss him like the wind
Like the first breeze and
Sometimes it's really scary
Without him