HOW CAN THEY NOT SEE?

He sat down on the bench, slowly,

Watching the little ones at play.

A faint smile appeared on his face,

Like the warm sunshine after a rainy day.

A ball rolled towards his feet,

Widening the smile on his face.

Struggling, he reached down and started to move,

His body shaking, with his every pace.

"Never talk to strangers."

He heard her say.

Yet all the little boy cared,

Was where his ball lay.

He watched the little boy stare,

At his old and wrinkled face.

And watched his Mum pulling him away,

As if a murderer was in front of their face.

"How can they not see?"

He asked in the cold.

"These lines are drawn,

Deeper than any trench in the world."

"A picture drawn,

By age and time.

A story told,

With sorrow and rhyme."

By Tina Chen

YOU WERE, YOU ARE

You were once,

a mountain

to me,

You stood tall

and strong

in my life. You were once,

a Bible

to me,

Your words

were the wrongs

and rights.

You knew,

everything

there is to know

about life.

Now I see you,

as the rocks

by the sea,

Strong and solid,

inside.

By eroding

away,

By new waves

and tides.

Now I see you,

as a candle,

with dimming

light.

You lit

everyone's life

with light,

But now

waiting to

die.

But to me,

you are the

sun and air,

Who fed me,

clothed me,

sheltered me

and

loved me.

But to me,

you are

heaven and earth,

Who will

always lead me,

guide me,

support me

and

protect me.

By Tina Chen