If Only

A poem.
The illustration depicts Elijah McClain, a Black man wearing glasses, next to his violin. His eyes are closed.
Illustration by Laura Freeman 

For Elijah McClain (1996-2019). Killed by police in Aurora, Colo., he was known as a gentle soul who played his violin to soothe anxious animals in shelters. 

If only a violin could redeem
the world.

Your skin, glowing like the violin’s wood,
might still sing its humble lament.

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