Melting Snow Poem by Sami Gjoka

He had frozen in my arms,
As if made of snow and ice
That is ready to melt down

Just a little bit afar
Stood his mother in her car.
Talking to his younger brother.

I felt him, so short, so tiny
Pressed against my wrecked body
And I heard myself saying,
Staring straight in to his eyes,
“You must now care for him
And must never let him cry! ”

There were my little boys—
Clouds ready to explode
Into tears and into thunder.

Step by step behind my back
Steady must have come this time
Knife that struck and cut so fast
From behind.

And I heard, I heard his voice
Yes, I will, I will, my daddy
Be a father to your son
But I’m little, I’m tiny,
And I have no elder brother
If I too need one

He was numb and I was dumb
Both completely paralyzed.

I had never, never known
Such a pain and such a fear
When times of calm and joy
All of sudden disappear

Hugging with parting pain
I felt snow turn to rain
And he drifted from my arms
Took his brother by his hand
Leaving me there all alone
Like a mountain that will face
Showers and winds of storms—
Of the never-ending pain.

There will be my little boys
In the middle of that road
Confused at their parents’ blunder
Respectively to each side
As if from opposing shores
That forever split and part
To move farther.