Emerson and Melville cousins Eliot and even Poe Cousins who were poets in their dozens Have been influential showing Steve Lance what they know The poet of "The Night Before Christmas" was before As the morning after my cousin Clement Moore Others too my brothers sisters cousins of the word Famous cousins or dozens more with names unheard Not inconsequential having cousins A wise guy hitman father who wrote poetry too And also the few who understand me like you Though discouraged you encourage give me courage even so Who are my cousins too then when you do Steven Curtis Lance