Widow Weeds

She draped herself in widow weeds Veil of black and buttoned sleeves Hid her face from the world A shadow where once had been a girl Her husband of past twenty years Had passed away leaving her in tears Heart full of the future's fears She kneels beside his grave Where should be colour every day Just widow weeds, her friends all say "please stop your tears and throw away Those widow weeds of black and grey" Then she did wail a chilling sound Beat her fists and hit the ground She moaned his name, she pulled her hair She chanted verse and muttered prayer How could a man so just, so good Leave her a widow like he could Where should be colour every day Just widow weeds, her friends all say "please stop your tears and throw away Those widow weeds of black and grey" And deep within chador of lace The deep etched sorrow on her face This madonna in her cowl of grief Subservient in her belief Then came the reading of the will Grief had hold within her still But unable to believe her ears She stopped her sobbing, halted tears Not a penny, not a pound No provision to be found Not a thought of recognition The will was read with cold precision Anger jumped up in her breast Well maybe this was for the best Even as the will was blessed She tore away her veil Tears of rage to tears of joy No more grief from death's envoy No more weeping, gnashing teeth No more prostrate with grief She thought he loved her So sure he loved her She thought he loved her So sure he loved her But all his treasure all his wealth Just signify love for himself Just signify love for himself The chador fell unto the earth Witness a woman's rebirth Witness a woman's rebirth She exorcised grief's ugly demon With a new found sense of freedom Where should be colour every day Just widow weeds, now she can say She stopped her tears and threw away Those widow weeds of black and grey --- Widow Weeds - Marc Almond