Forget Me Not
By Eloise Banting
Forget me not -
Forget me never -
Your heart I sought -
Born to be together!
So I give you this seed -
This seed of faith -
It is born of our creed -
It will keep you safe!
I planted my first when I was only five -
I said a prayer over it to see you in time.
And when it bloomed I wore it everyday in my hair -
So when I blossomed too - you’d stop&you’d stare.
Then you saw me in time -
At the baker’s shop!
Do you remember the flower in my hair?
When you thought that sweet thought??
Days had passed -
And so had the great moons!
We lived in joy!!
(Yet danced on our tombs)
But remember that flower??
Well, that sweet flower I kept!
I dried its soft petals -
In my gold locket they slept!
They bring me luck -
When I walk through the street -
They give me protection -
When the 2 devils lie&they cheat.
The first time I met them -
The night eclipsed the street.
They were watching and watching -
I could hear the march of their feet.
So I heard them coming -
Faster and faster!
So I sped up -
And my locket I clasped her!
The first devil nearer -
Grazing my thigh and my hip -
The second more eager -
Pressing his fingers against my lip.
Then the first one lifted a gun to my head -
(Holding me closer and closer)
When he finally said -
Give me your money, Your body!
Or I’ll shoot you dead!
I said I have nothing!
Please let me go free!
Just this locket -
One you may keep!
He snatched it off my neck -
And broke the chain -
He opened the lock -
And the petals - to the ground they rained!
So I fell to the ground -
And I knew they would run!
I fell to the ground!
Picking up my petals one by one!
So I darted home -
And held you so close, so tight!
I sewed the petals in your favorite coat!
So you’d stay warm if they take you at night!
Then they broken in soon -
In the closet did I hide -
They knew you were there -
With your polymath mind!
SO away they took you -
But I ran after with my bare feet.
They beat you so mercilessly -
And dragged you through the street!
But I could not let you go -
Without this one thing -
He needed his blessed petal coat -
SO to him the angels would always sing!
They glared&they glared -
And surely said okay -
Searched it for guns, for gold -
And said on his back it can stay!
They said to flee -
And never come back -
But all I saw around me -
Was death in its tracks!
To my right was a daughter -
Who would never be the same -
Holding her father’s lifeless hand -
After a bullet to his brain.
To my left was a mother -
Being pushed around by three!
To my front were my friends -
Hanged in the sweet trees!
Below my feet was glass -
From our baker’s shop window -
At the door was his body -
And streaming eyes of his widow.
But what do you do -
When tragedy itself abounds?
Does it make it less tragic?
When tragedy surrounds?
The loss of a child -
Too hard to bear.
The loss of a million??
They play, they play(they die)at the Godless fair.
I knelt & I prayed -
To the heavens & those universal gods of grace -
I was told to run home -
To plant my seeds in the back garden vase!
Yet a life without him -
Is no life at all!
But he is cloaked in my love!
And the petals of the fall!
So forget me not -
And forget me never -
Your heart I caught -
We are always together.