Oprah
you were
my mentor
through middle school
through high school
through college
through marriage
through motherhood
through aging
through the then
through the now
past and present
your voice
your words
your wisdom
have helped guide me
to a better understanding
of myself
of others
never more so
than now
with your long-standing work
beside Dr. Perry
realized in book form:
“What Happened to You?”
on the second page of Chapter 1
i had to put it down
as the words blurred away
into the sea
“From as early as I can remember,
I knew I was on my own.”
when you said this …
it was like you were speaking
directly to me
to the me no one knows
or sees
or understands
but in those simple words
i felt utterly understood
you know where i came from
and how hard it was
for this sensitive child
who found herself stuck in a storm
with no protection
the child played pretend
and put on a smile
and soldier on to school
acting as if she were young
when in fact she was an adult
in the body of a child
who had already learned
the hardest lessons
in life
while we’ve never spoken
a word
i know you know me
and i you
you were there in the room
with your calm and reassuring voice
telling me
child, it’s gonna be ok – you’re gonna be ok
from 1986 to present day
you are still telling me
child, it’s gonna be ok – you’re gonna be ok
i am
so grateful
you were given the gift
of communication
and how you gave that gift away
for free
to the pauper
to the prince
to the queen
to the servant
to the king
to the slave
to the child
to the adult
you were teaching master classes
all along
and i was sitting there in your great classroom
learning and learning and learning
i’m still learning
and learning and learning and learning
the greatest teachers teach
from a sacred place
that knows no boundary
in all the languages of the world
thank you
thank you
thank you
TL