A poem for Allison Fisher:
somebody tell me
what is the statute of limitations on grief?
my high school reunion, hoping to see an old friend a bright shining soul
seeing instead her name on a memorial list
dead of breast cancer, nine years ago
so somebody tell me
what is the statute of limitations on grief?
can I still grieve at news almost a decade old?
at learning that a light I thought was out there brightening the world
had long fallen dark?
I could tell you details,
about how being in a high school play with her
put the love of performance in me
the seed that sprouted my poetry
but that's about me, not her
I could tell you, that raised in this racist society
she was the first black girl I had a crush on
but that's about me, not her
about her
I just remember her lighting up any conversation she was in
I remember all eyes moving to her when she came into a room
I remember her at ease with everyone, regardless of race or class, she was right of of Kipling's "if you can walk with kings and not lose the common touch"
I remember she was just about the only person I talked to out our five year reunion, like I was a moth and she the brightest light there
and so now
can I grieve at learning that a light I thought was out there
brightening the world
has long fallen dark?
somebody tell me
what is the statute of limitations on grief?