Sometimes, when it's late at night
And I'm alone with Sportscenter
Turned down low, filling the void,
As I read dozens of search results
From hundred-year-old newspapers,
Trying to uncover a cousin
Whose name seems forgotten by time,
I feel the presence of relatives
Surrounding my chair,
Whispering in my ear, "Read that one."
"Don't quit, you've almost found me."
And when a marriage is revealed,
When the step of a sibling is understood,
When an infant death is discovered,
A child that nobody knew about,
A child whose mother's tears
Fell so far away and are long dried into dust,
I think I hear a great cheer, a shout of joy,
From beyond the TV, beyond the neighborhood,
Whispered in my ear, "thank you for remembering."