Maria came from Cyprus
just after the civil war.
And settled with her sisters
in North London.
With long dark, wild hair
and deep distinctive eyes.
She cut quite a figure
in Camden and its surroundings.
There was a story about
a taxi driver,
that’s best not remembered.
Maria deserves more than that.
In the nineties
she worked as a waitress,
in a back-street Vietnamese.
But she was always trying for more.
And she may have found it,
who knows ?
Because this small perfect jewel,
had only the briefest of lives.
Oh Maria, Maria, Maria.
How does it happen
that people like you go.
And the bad abide forever.
Are there hundreds, thousands, millions
like you, up there.
Neither young nor old, beautiful
and too young for heaven.
Leave a Reply