I am missing you. You were always there for me,
and anyone who needed you. It isn't just Doran
Hocker who loved you. Charla, our relationship
was platonic, and Doran was your fiance` ...
but we all had a three way friendship, and a bond
that is so very rare in this world.

And now that you are gone, Doran is torn apart,
but he has never been more inspired by anyone
in his entire life. "It was the relationship of my
life!!!" he exclaimed to me one day.

Your best friend Darla is doing alright. It was
Charla, and Darla, predestined to tackle the world
together - do you remember?

And your baby girl Natasha, she is a split and
image of you. I went to your funeral. I met your
grandmother, and your brother. I cried tears of
joy at your memorial service, because I felt your
spirit ascending to Heaven.

Now you are there - you made it to the promised
land. You have a first class seat with the Father,
looking down and watching your poetry rock like a
cradle.

The messages in your poetry are endless - like
orange streaks in the sky, splitting the big blue
upper dome in half, meeting the horizon as though
it's the finish line.

Do you remember when I fired you from the type
setting job, because you were taking too long
typing the manuscript; and I hired John West.

And then when you saw me again, you asked
"are you going to take my poetry out of the book?"
I replied "Hell no !!!! Your poems rock - are you crazy?
Charla, I may have fired you from the typesetting job,
and hired John West, but your poetry is deep, and
your style really complements the book. My poetry is
borderline radical, with a touch of spirituality. Your
poetry is straight gospel ... and the blend together ...
is African American history."
 

Copyright 2008
All Rights Reserved