Trigger warning: my son, Lumumba, died on October 17, 2021 of a drug overdose. He was only 32 years old. If the subject of drug addiction or poems about death are hard for you to read, please skip these or take care of yourself if you decide to read on. I love you.–c❤️m

the coroner at 3 am

the coroner came bearing pictures
that cold october morning.
the time was 3 am.

he told me and abbie
to brace ourselves, 
that they would be hard to see.
then one photo at time 
he took you away from me.

the first picture was your tattoo, 
a tree, black creeping branches
sprawling up your arm like veins.

the second was the red t-shirt  
i watched you effortlessly 
slide on that day.

now a pause 
before the hardest of them all:
your undeniable, sleeping face.

god, how i wish i hadn’t seen 
the coroner at 3 am,
with his grim and breaking news
ruthlessly changing everything.