hope

They held her hands gently
as she passed away
then wept uncontrollably
with no prayer to say
just nodded to the parents
trying hard to cope
they gave her the candle
and she called the candle hope


she weakened and sickened
just like others in the camp
in their makeshift tents and shelter
constantly cold and damp
as a nurse she carried on
as if sickness didn't matter
now that every time she coughs
she noticed the blood splatter


they sent her home for treatment
nurses wept and said goodbye
they smiled with comforting words
knowing she's going to die
she held on to the candle
and she held on tight
with a failure of modern medicine
it was her comforter in the night


they put her in ward twenty two
her parents came to see
their daughter who was twenty two
would not make twenty three
she asked them to light the candle
when she passed away
and think of her and a girl called Hope
at the ending of the day


They asked the hospital management
if the wishes they could comply
and the Hospital called the media
to tell them the reason why
the at eleven in the evening
the hospital lights went out
the warming glow of the candle
brightly shone about


in every hospital window
was a candle on display
for a selfless aid worker
that sadly passed away
on the local radio station
silence filled the air
and a candle burnt in every house
to show the world they care