Kevin Young
NEW YEAR'S LETTER
Son, the words that aren't
yet yours
are the ones we want
most to hear. Forget
the dead, the executions
& the moon that disappears
like most everything, see
how it returns?
Forget those lists
of the dead
that appear like paperwhites
at years end, narcissuses,
something to aspire to--
so many forgot
or not
even mentioned.Forget
the assassins, the foolish
critics, the silence
we all learn. the ghosts
of the words
that go away. Instead,
keep trying
your tongue like a flame
about to start, the sound
of flint striking stone, your mouth.
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