Black is the world before she opens her eyes
When she’s tiny and fragile and only cries

Black is the bow that she wears in her hair
On the first day of school, when nosy classmates stare

Black are the nights that frighten her so
The mysteries of the dark, when all the lights go

Black are the heels, all shiny and new
Her dark satin dress, her cheeks a pink hue

Black is the book where her secrets lie
Where dreams seem to shrivel, weaken and die

Black are the shadows that darken her face
In the hospital bed, next to her, flowers in a vase

Black is the sickness that steals her life
That filled her days with pain, and strife

Black is the veil that her daughter wears
Together, with grief that everyone shares