Widow Weeds

She draped herself in widow weeds

Veil of black and buttoned sleeves

Hid her face from the world

A shadow where once had been a girl

Her husband of past twenty years

Had passed away leaving her in tears

Heart full of the future's fears

She kneels beside his grave

Where should be colour every day

Just widow weeds, her friends all say

"please stop your tears and throw away

Those widow weeds of black and grey"

Then she did wail a chilling sound

Beat her fists and hit the ground

She moaned his name, she pulled her hair

She chanted verse and muttered prayer

How could a man so just, so good

Leave her a widow like he could

Where should be colour every day

Just widow weeds, her friends all say

"please stop your tears and throw away

Those widow weeds of black and grey"

And deep within chador of lace

The deep etched sorrow on her face

This madonna in her cowl of grief

Subservient in her belief

Then came the reading of the will

Grief had hold within her still

But unable to believe her ears

She stopped her sobbing, halted tears

Not a penny, not a pound

No provision to be found

Not a thought of recognition

The will was read with cold precision

Anger jumped up in her breast

Well maybe this was for the best

Even as the will was blessed

She tore away her veil

Tears of rage to tears of joy

No more grief from death's envoy

No more weeping, gnashing teeth

No more prostrate with grief

She thought he loved her

So sure he loved her

She thought he loved her

So sure he loved her

But all his treasure all his wealth

Just signify love for himself

Just signify love for himself

The chador fell unto the earth

Witness a woman's rebirth

Witness a woman's rebirth

She exorcised grief's ugly demon

With a new found sense of freedom

Where should be colour every day

Just widow weeds, now she can say

She stopped her tears and threw away

Those widow weeds of black and grey