i've never met you
but i can feel your
presence
when my mother speaks
of you.

i've never met you
but i can see apart
of you in me
because
we share that
blue-ish green
ring around
our eye.

i've never met you
but i bet you had
tons and tons
of stories to tell; like
the war,
the civil rights
movement,
how they named
a street after
you.

i've never met you
but when i think
of you
i feel like i'm home.

i've never met you
but if i did
i'd hug you and
remember what you'd
smell like.

i've never met you
but on every April 16th,
i wish i had.
rest in peace, i love you

-d.berry