I woke one early morning
To find the flowers in the garden bed
Singing a gloomy song.

I bowed my head with theirs
And I sang my own words.

'Come back to me
Daisy who used to smile
Poppy who joyfully beamed
Rose who trusted me.'

They all sang back to me
'Weeder who used to protect
Child who used to admire
Water who used to sustain
Why have you left us?'

Their faces started to show
Girl with pale eyes and skin
Boy with sunken thighs and limbs
One with jagged wounds, and thin.

The girl shook as she looked
The boy barely stood
One cowered under their hood.
I smiled as best I could.

But they didn't smile back
All frowned and glowered
Or wept, or sulked
Like ice cold showers.

I touched the girl's face
It started to crumble
The boy screamed,
One fainted.

I backed away slowly
As they started fading
The sky darkened, and
Dawn indeed began...breaking.


17th February 2018