So I wrote this a while back, around the time Chester Bennington died.
At that time it just didn’t seem appropriate but for some reason, today does, so ya.

I know I never knew you,
But I really felt like I did,
I thought of you as a friend,
Someone to go to when the world,
Didn’t and Couldn’t understand,
You were always there,
Singing passionately,
About feelings,
Deeply rooted,
Inside the mind of a young child,

I know I never knew you,
But the way your words moved me,
Made me feel like there was someone,
Someone out there who knew,
Knew what I was going through,
And it was then that it struck me,
That for you to know this,
You must feel this pain as well,

I know I never knew you,
But every time Numb,
or Crawling,
or the countless others,
Would play on the radio
Of the rusty van I would travel in,
The early morning wake up calls,
Were worth it,
For there I was belting out each line,
In my pipsqueak voice,
Head banging,
Before I even knew it was called that.

I know I never knew you,
But when I heard your song,
Was in the new Transformers movie,
I forced it upon my friends,
To watch it in our next sleepover,
And while my friends gawked over Megan Fox,
I was already on the desktop,
Trying to download new divide,
So that I could play it on repeat,
Because somehow,
Yet again,
You had me mystified,
Entranced,
By your words,
And music.

I know I never knew you,
But when I heard news of your comeback,
The little girl that was in love with you then,
Awakened,
And even though you came back with a different style,
The words and the music,
Hit my heart and I couldn’t wait to see the rest.

I know I never knew you,
But when news reached me of your death,
Initially, I tried to play it cool,
When I found out it was depression that took you,
I began to breathe heavily,
I looked it up on the internet,
Hoping it was just another hoax,
And when it wasn’t.
I was broke.

I know I never knew you,
And when you died,
It was the first time that it hit,
That even though your music had reached me,
Changed me,
Helped me,
I hadn’t ever been able to let you know.
I could do nothing to help you,
And your battle.

Thank you for making me feel less alone,
I just wish,
Our love,
Our concern,
Could have helped you as well.

Here’s to a man that saved the lives of countless lost souls.
Chester Bennington.