Shadow in the Stone

Red tulips splash
across a pastel blue sky,
I see with my father's eyes
and hope the memory stays alive
to water me
in sorrow's time.

Walking, with my hand outstretched
to feel the stone, the marble set
of furniture
that has travelled seas,
to touch my palm,
to be with me.

I saw my shadow nights ago
peep out at me so suddenly,
I jumped, then laughed
"It's only me!"
My darker side,
but only me.


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Shaista wrote this poem last year, and I'd posted it on my own blog back then because I really liked it. It takes us back to another place when the future was bright for all five of us. Anyway things took a turn for the worse over the past couple of days due to a horrific mistake by the doctors looking after Shaista, and she has not been able to give directions around things to post, so I'm putting this one up for her. I hope you like it. Please keep writing in. Every message left here is a happy distraction in a time of a lot of pain and trauma. Thanks. Rizwan