Dear Antelope,
It's not a hard puzzle because you can't pop the pieces back in place. I'm forgoing my wacky formatting to fit tight all the fixtures and let the reader who is not you know that this isn't about me. You were younger than most of us and you yearned to lean forward. You shot the shit and hit home runs in casual conversation, so please step forward and give a bow to all the people you cared so much for. It was your honest belief that we were all individuals, important in ways that you understood but we didn't. And I can keep making mint come out my mouth with these verbal tic tacs but I can't write a poem strong enough for what you left behind. Death eats creativity whole and, at this point, the shock's just now starting to sink in. Eventually time will trot forward but that won't dampen the fact that you're gonna be missed. You were a ship that housed people you hadn't even heard of. Then suddenly you got crushed by cannonballs. Now everyone's out to sea for a spiral no one saw coming. I wish I got to know you better and cannot imagine what those closer to you feel. It's not a hard puzzle because you can't pop the pieces back in place. It's a hard puzzle because none of us can solve it on our own.
With all the love you gave us,
One of Barrett's Privateers
It's not a hard puzzle because you can't pop the pieces back in place. I'm forgoing my wacky formatting to fit tight all the fixtures and let the reader who is not you know that this isn't about me. You were younger than most of us and you yearned to lean forward. You shot the shit and hit home runs in casual conversation, so please step forward and give a bow to all the people you cared so much for. It was your honest belief that we were all individuals, important in ways that you understood but we didn't. And I can keep making mint come out my mouth with these verbal tic tacs but I can't write a poem strong enough for what you left behind. Death eats creativity whole and, at this point, the shock's just now starting to sink in. Eventually time will trot forward but that won't dampen the fact that you're gonna be missed. You were a ship that housed people you hadn't even heard of. Then suddenly you got crushed by cannonballs. Now everyone's out to sea for a spiral no one saw coming. I wish I got to know you better and cannot imagine what those closer to you feel. It's not a hard puzzle because you can't pop the pieces back in place. It's a hard puzzle because none of us can solve it on our own.
With all the love you gave us,
One of Barrett's Privateers
Header art by T. Guzzio.
CONNECT WITH VINCE:
Vince Rappa is a recent grad out of Lake Forest College where he stumbled into an English degree. Testimonials for his writing include; "He uses his words in ways that make you want to lie on the floor and waste away your days listening to experimental jazz," "As a good friend, I read them like I was asked to," and "That sure was a poem." Until he perfects his craft he can be found in his room playing Street Fighter. You can follow him on Twitter @MistahRappa.
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