by Nikki Giovanni

My mother died
13 or 14 years
Ago

I took the flowers
Home
And put most in
Water
The gift of life

They sit by the window
In the sunnyside
Of my bedroom
And the roots
Have taken hold

Sometimes a leaf
Will yellow
And I pull it off

It is dead

And there must be
Room
For a new leaf

Things that are dead
Cannot be saved

My mother will always
Live in my heart

All nazis must be Picked
And thrown
away

Poem copyright 2020 by Nikki Giovanni. All rights reserved.

See more poems from Nikki Giovanni debuted on The Fight & The Fiddle: “January 26, 2020” and “Winter Homes.”

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Read more in this issue: Interview | Critical Review | Writing Prompt