The Singer

By Penelope Purchase

six years old

walking

by the dying garden, singing

the poem painted

on the old gate


bring flowers, bring 

flowers, not 

roses but lilies

in showers…


a hard look–

a glare


bring tulips &

daisies…


she laughs. silly

girl.


stop singing

that

don’t you know

you can’t sing


silence


tulips

& daisies

& daffodils sweet…

for the girl who is still

on

her

feet.

Introducing the writer

Introducing the writer

Penelope Purchase is a junior at Berkeley High school. When not at school or doing homework, she loves playing badminton, writing short stories, and reading anything and everything she can get her hands on. Her favorite author is Roshani Chokshi.