Today would have been John Lennon’s 80th birthday. As a gift to John (and you), here’s the poem my 13 year old daughter wrote this week in memory of John.

“40 Years” by Em

On this day the world sings Happy Birthday to a dead man.
40 years dull and deprived of his genius
40 years dull and deprived of his voice
14,610 days of tears over a man we never knew and fearing for others we still don’t.
40 years of fantasies made and then crushed at the mouth of a gun
40 years of hoping and waiting and wondering
40 years of writing and working
40 years of mourning and yearning
40 years of quoting and ranting and singing and chanting.
On this day we sing Happy Birthday to a dead man because it’s been 40 years and we still miss you.