A Poem for Devin

By Josephine Taranto

He was kind. He was a good listener, a good cuddler. He chose good movies. He loved his family, his heritage. He loved history and learning. He was smart. He looked great in pink. He loved Long Island (and we all gave him hell about it). He loved to make us laugh.

He was more than “one of the guys down the hall.” He was more than the eternally open box of CheezIts on the counter. He was more than his good dance moves. He was more than the demons he tried so hard to chase away.

We ask, “why is he gone?” We ask “where did the time go?”I ask “what could I have said?”

March 9th, 2021, we celebrated his birthday, the day after he died. We raised our glasses, more than once or twice, with his favorite drinks-of-choice. Then we went to watch this sunset on Ocean Drive, his favorite place in town. It felt surreal.

Now, March 9th is more than a toast at the bar. Its more than the grief that came from the day before. It’s more than a birthday.

It’s a day burned in our hearts, etched there forever. It’s more than a date, it’s a day we’ll always know calls for a wonderful celebration.

Dev

By Evan Elichalt