The victims of death in silence lie

not a breath nor a moan nor a sigh

off to work and school  they went, some not saying goodbye

not knowing today’s the day they’d die

they ran the tar mac’s gauntlet, the crazy taxi man’s outlet

dodging here, cutting there

come, pay up your fare

one chance too many and place to go not any

that rabid impatience the end of many

the carnage the glass the metal the diesel

each so much living and laughing and loving to do still

but

      the victims of death in silence lie

                                                                     not a breath

                                                                                nor a moan

                                                                                               nor a sigh

Poem and photographs by Rodney Trenam

Fire and Emergency Services

Msunduzi

Rodney says: "I wrote this poem after being involved at the Pietermaritzburg New Greytown Rd horror taxi crash. The title refers to the 15 who died and the driver who received only a scratch."