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‘January 26, 2020’ — a poem for Vanessa Bryant
Poet Nikki Giovanni felt moved to write after watching the memorial for Kobe Bryant and his daughter
Listen to the poem, read by Nikki Giovanni.
It was a sad day for all of the mothers. Kobe Bryant was like a son to all of us — we watched him grow up. Hearing that Kobe and his daughter Gigi had left us was a sad day.
January 26, 2020
We don’t know
She does
He did
I can’t
You don’t
Know the last words
“The weather is bad
Don’t go
Stay home
They will be all
Right with out
You”
We don’t know
And actually it’s not
Our business
Was she worried
Did she feel something
Did she wish
He would for once
Listen
But she most likely kissed
Them both wondering
What they might want
For dinner
Or snacks into the evening
When they came home
She hoped they would
Win
But she was so tired
Maybe just a short
Nap
Just to close
Her eyes
For a minute
She was cold
Just needed to throw
A blanket over
Her feet
For just a minute
We don’t
Know what
She thought
Or said
It’s none
Of our business
And too sad
To think
about