For Jane

Photo by Anna Roberts on Unsplash

Years ago

I sat 

on a futon 

bathed 

in West Hollywood sun

while you answered 

all my questions

your voice 

soft and strong

Afterwards 

I told you

my mother

took little me 

for walks 

in the woods

told little me 

stories 

about the woman

who lived with chimps

and changed the world 

gave little me 

my first real hero

You were quiet 

for a moment

somehow 

so humble

after all your years

of discovery

“Perhaps someday we’ll meet,” you said. 

Perhaps someday we’ll meet. 

Author's note:

Occasionally, I Google "news" when I have downtime at work. When I did that on October 1, 2025, my heart broke. I had the great honor of interviewing Jane Goodall over the phone back in 2017, and it was a dream come true. Goodall has been a hero of mine since I was a child, and I find few people more inspiring than her.