Kashiana Singh reads and writes

Epitaph – 26 children of war

Apple of our eyes, stay forever sweet
Born to be a poem, your rhyming thirteen years
Ceremonial colors in life, death richer red
Dancing footsteps tiny free, glide across azure sky
Even today she waits, warm muffin in hand
Freedom is now yours, you smile toothless
Greeted by bullets, my womb became your casket
Hope you are somewhere kind, you deserved not macabre dead
Imminent scholar boy, your books will wait your turn
Just your little finger clasp, preserves my breath
Keep your friends’ company, sing aloud in unison
Lofty goals did not save my child, I cannot forgive
Monstrous wails of your mother, will miss you angel
Never lose your crayons, draw a clear blue-sky son
Only yesterday I bought you a kite, I buried it today
Put your head to the pillow, you deserve rest
Quote to the universe, the hymn of a butterfly
Refugee child you went to the sea, the Arc set you free
Stringing snipers’ bombs, was not how I planned your life
Theater to the world’s script, you acted your part with a smile
Under a starless sky, I will look at you my pole star
Veins overflow with terror, she still sings you a lullaby
Wiki returns blood in response, Syria your children we mourn
X ray films show a dark shadow, your tiny bones are already ash
You never learned to call me Baba, we taught you syllables of war
Zaara, you barely blossomed, the earth longed your scent