you don't know

y'all think i'm cold
looking at my daughter's body
and then turning away

you don't know me

i was asking where
she was found

i was asking when
she died

i was asking how long
it took before
she passed on

y'all are wrong to think
i wasn't thinking
of her

i was in the business of
finding out
what happened
to my baby

her body can stay
right where
it is

that's all i have left

i gotta hear
what happened
i gotta see
what happened

i gotta know
what happened
before i feel again

emotions can wait

i gotta know


for tereasa martin

just a song at twilight

in the quiet

autumn moonlight

sit with me

the old people will point

and call it "spooning"

the young ones will whistle

and call it "scoring"

the smart ones will nod,

and call it "none of their business"

we'll call it love

(or maybe something like it)

hold my hand

warm my heart

understand me

for just a while . . .

stay