Note: there are other versions of this on our site

(http://jmm.org.au/articles/5113.htm ;

http://jmm.org.au/articles/5094.htm ).

See note at the bottom re attribution.

~~~

I got flowers today.

It wasn’t my birthday or any other special day.

Last night we had a fight and he hit me,

But I know he is sorry

Cause I got flowers today.

I got flowers today.

It wasn’t our anniversary or any other special day.

Last night he threw me against the wall and started to choke me,

But I know he’s sorry,

Cause I got flowers today.

I got flowers today.

It wasn’t Mothers day or any other special day.

I was so swollen and bruised I was ashamed to answer the door.

But I know he’s sorry,

Cause I got flowers today.

If I leave him, where will I go?

What about money? what about my kids?

It’s getting worse every time but I’m afraid to leave.

But I know he’s sorry.

Cause I got flowers today.

I got flowers today.

My family and friends filed by to see me

Asking why I never left him,

If I only had the strength and courage to, but I didn’t.

So I got Flowers today.

Copyright © Sept 91 Allen “Two Trees” Dowdell

http://twotrees.www.50megs.com/poetry/flowers.html

I enjoyed perusing your site.

I thought you might want to know that Paulette Kelley is credited for having

written the poem about getting flowers; however, this is untrue. It was

written by Allen Dowdell in 1991, not by Kelley in 1992. I have pasted the

original poem below, as well as his website address. I think his version is

more poignant and moving. The author himself is married to a woman who had

been abused in a former marriage.

Thanks again for sharing your website.

Sincerely,

April Thompson