Eulogy

I remember your rock star dreams,
underpaid, underappreciated musician
playing local bars ‘til 2 AM,
collapsing into bed ‘til 2 PM,
caffeine zombie by day
and cannabis by night—
rewind,
repeat.

It didn’t pay the bills.
You couldn’t sing,
but you played a mean flamenco.

The little blue Stratocaster rests
under my bed now. I strummed it
when I was 5
and wanted to be just like Daddy.
You sang me to sleep with
Beatles’ lullabies.
The White Album makes me weep, still.

Did Jesus meet you when you died?
Or did John Lennon?

I listen to your LP’s, now mine,
burn patchouli, and pretend
it’s 1971,
when you were young
and long-haired
and I wasn’t even born yet,
but belonged better to a time long before.

I’d never dare pull
a Back-to-the-Future stunt,
for fear of falling of love with the man
who’d be my father.

I love you still.

Art by Christian Barron.  Words by Teniesha A. Kessler-Emanuel

Swimming

 Which one was it hand puppet master thief.  I remember a song sang by mermaids which never could breathe under water.  The harsh realities of life.  I love Chicago summer internships.  I love birds flying high and then shitting on their own time.  Like night clerks.  Watch out falling hard helmet yellow neon.  It wasn't even night.  It could have been a Saturday but I had no compass.  Thanks for the moon landing and family and smelly flowers of both hues.  I knew a sailor named Bart and I'll stop before I lie at the bottom of the ocean... 

Here we are.  Can you breathe.  Bubble.  Bubble.  Sepia futures and pastures full of sea cows.  I make metaphors out of no shows and honest men hobos.  Unfair of me.  I'm bragging.  

DANCE

My favorite command.

Sketch by Christian Barron.  Words by Dustin Whitehead.

forrest for the tree

 

Pay attention for a moment

Can you hear me breathe

I want you to feel my heartbeat

and learn to stay alive 

Please stay alive

I won't live without you

I want so badly for you to know happiness

For you to know who you are

I don't know either

I am lost

 

Art by Christian Barron.  Words by Dustin Whitehead.