i didn't mourn your death
i didn't cry, didn't scream
didn't damn the world or any god for taking you away
and then i remember
english class, we all had to memorize Atticus's speech
you know, the one in the courtroom where he defended Tom Robinson
and then i remember
that you sang about leaving us before any of us knew you were gone
ziggy stardust, i miss you
and then i remember
i'm 7, maybe 8 years old
you taught me what imagination meant, what i could do, what alternate universes i could create
and then i remember
you loved so much you died with a secret
as i grew, i learned how to understand you
and then i remember
the day purple rain meant a nation mourning in unity
and then i remember
your song was in shrek and i'm sorry but that association from my childhood never left me
and then i remember
the amount of pain you endured
and then i remember
i was 11, my brother was singing along to hotel california, introduced me to your band and pointed you out to me
"that's glenn frey he's the guitarist"
and then i remember
why this year has been such a dark one
so much of the light has vanished with you
and then i remember
i never gave myself a chance to mourn your death
-z.z