Malika By Ros Venn Poem by Ros Venn

Why is there so many flowers on the ground?
What do they represent?
They say one petal is equal to one day she'll never see.
What is life, if one so young can have it stolen away?
She was so happy and carefree.
She always said hi to me.
No matter what I was doing.
Bringing in a bag of coal. She would say hi.
Loading my car up for travel. She would say hi.
Moving a truck load of blocks. She would say hi.
Now I am only greeted by whitening flowers.
They are lying on the floor outside her door.
People still bless themselves as they walk by.
But as I return home there is still something missing.
The smile and hi.
It still feels like it never happened.
Like it was some dream of delirium.
That tomorrow I'll wake up.
And as I'll pack my car to go to college.
You and your mam will come out your house and wave goodbye.
But first you'll say hi