My Distant Cousin

(Dashes equal a beat)

I’ve never met you -

I do not know your struggle,

but we share an ancestor from centuries ago.

Their DNA is part of both of us.

Their blood runs in my veins, as it does in yours.

So, when I see your blood being spilt,

it is like a knife in the heart.

It hurts me, my distant cousin.

I never met you -

I do not know your struggle,

But when I hear the stories, see the news,

I wander: how can I help? What can I do?

For I can’t bear to see my cousins killed,

daily, weekly, monthly, yearly.

How long is it going to take to keep you safe?

For although we’ve never met, I worry about you.

-- By Aurora Faustini