Candis Johnson - Then There Was Harlem

I mourn you
Though, I never knew you
I’m part of you but we’ve never met
I love you, but
You’re merely a distant reverie
Black boys and black girls
Who, eventually became black men and women
They are my family but we’ve never met
I won’t say we’re estranged
Time just gave them different names
The family I’m talking about
You might remember
Claude and Langston
Zora and Jessie Redmon
I never knew them but
They birthed me
A dream deferred
That will never be me
We are family
Zora, Langston, Jessie, Claude and me
They gave birth to Harlem
Which in turn gave birth to me

Candis Johnson

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/then-there-was-harlem/