Snorkelled Poems | Examples

Malaria

Lisa my love, I can’t believe you’re dead
You only had a slight headache when you went to bed
Yet, when I see your lips oozing blood and twisted head
With bulging eyes and distorted face
I know you’re dead.

Were you too proud to let me know
You were not well, before you let life go?
You suffered horribly in silence 
Too arrogant to ask for any assistance.
If only you had called me
I would have helped

Malaria pills are for the weak, you said
We are strong and healthy, and better bred
We’ll use our nets to keep them out
If they get in they’ll get a clout

And so it was, we had our fun
In Africa’s bright shining sun
At Mozambique and the Comores
We swam and snorkelled from their shores

But the nets were broken, and though some got in
We did care about the odd sting
You were healthy when we came back
You did not know malaria was slow to attack
It was slow, but it was sure
And when it came, you were at Death’s door 

Life moves on, my dear, and I must leave.
Through its storms I’ll always grieve
For the most carefree girl, that I could know
That was killed in her prime by a tiny mosquito