Why Did They Have To Die? © Poem by Roann Mendriq

Far, high up in the mountainside,
a lone temple bell still rings,
Resounding where the Gods reside,
echoing on angel's wings.

But there is no temple standing,
No more fervent hymns and chant;
Just a fatal misunderstanding:
A prayer that God won't grant.

To calm the waters, turn the tides,
that swept their world away;
To halt the giant landslides,
discarding life in disarray.

The stench of dying lingers long,
with the scent of garlands torn;
Broken incense sticks prolong,
a fragrance dead, forlorn.

And yet the temple bell peals on,
like a plaintive, wailing cry;
For all the lost souls, all foregone,
Why did they have to die?

A gentle whisper starts to form,
and grows more desolate;
What caused this cruel rainstorm?
Was it just cruel fate?

Who erased the forests with no heed?
Who stopped the river's flow?
Who built more dams for selfish need?
Who chose damnation as the way to go?
©