Flowers By The Side Of The Road Poem by Jim Yerman

We were beginning a mini-adventure…
from inside our car laughter and happiness flowed
until a short distance into our trip
we saw flowers by the side of the road…

A beautiful little bouquet of flowers…
placed by the side of the road with care
placed by the family or a friend of the person
who, sadly, passed away there.

And our happiness paused for a moment
as tears welled up in our eyes
when we saw those flowers by the side of the road
And we thought…what a sorrowful place to die.

Flowers by the side of the road mean death was unexpected
and remind us no-one is immune…
they give a hint as to the life that was lost there…
taken away from their family…too soon.

Flowers by the side of the road mean people are left to wonder…
to ponder the question….Why?
Why didn't we get one final chance
to say I love you…to say goodbye.

For that is the tragedy of a death such as this…
one minute you're here…and then…
there are so many goodbyes and I love yous
that will never be spoken again.

But as sad as this sight was for both of us
out of that tragedy we saw how love flowed…
for someone cared enough for the person who died there
to lay flowers by the side of the road.