nun years

in the morning of the first day
the flowers were ready
the prayers said
the song not yet learned
the missing choir girl
came running
tattoos everywhere
on the shoulder a bird
her last name
she explained
it was blue and it was fading away
as my youth will, she smiled
I thought
god was there with us
the incense not yet finished
I took in my hands
the music sheet
gave it one more look
and decided
this was
my last assignment
because life was sacred
I didn’t need
to die.

(Lúcia Leão)