A PAINTED POEM BY

In Loving Memory. July 7th, 2009. Travell Camron Daveion Arrington, 10.

Twelve years ago, I lost the person I loved and still love the most. It was the worst day of my life as I can still feel the tears rushing from my eyes as I cried and broke down, knowing my younger brother could no longer receive such love again. It was a day that broke my family and me and tore our hearts apart as it changed our lives forever. And as for me, it's been a day that I've been carrying for the past 12 years.

It was spring semester ('17) at Harris Stowe State University when I first realized I needed to paint this poem. At the time, it had only been eight years since his death, but I knew he had been gone for too long, so it drove me to bring him back to life so that he could say hello to the world again.

After a dedicated summer focusing on my craft, I transferred to Southern Illinois Carbondale University, Fall 2017. For four years, I worked days in and out to paint this poem. It's a poem based on my younger brother's life and our close relationship as brothers, being a year apart. We were born in Chicago, IL; life wasn't easy for our family as I take readers through the struggles we had to face as children. In this poem, what is painted provides a vivid story of how life never gifted us this ideal image of butterflies and rainbows, but somehow, we survive in a world where children barely grow to see eighteen. 

After years in Chicago, our family then moved to Bloomington, IL. In Bloomington, I take readers through additional trials our family had to face before leading up to my younger brother's death. A semi-truck killed him. Imagine the one you love the most; now imagine their cranium being crushed by a semi's tire. How would you go about this tragedy? It's heartbreaking, and so are many of the stories I paint in this poem. Yes, I'm here to share our story in the sense of our relationship, but my main goal is to share his beautiful story with the world. In due time, I will; believe me. Until then, join me on this journey as I become a man in the process.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale Spring 2021 Graduate.