The Leaving : Sad Poetry

As the captain and the crew said goodbye to you
they left you standing there alone down by the quay .
The potato crop had failed so to America we sailed
as our eyes turned away to the sea .
Upon a stark cobalt the tears tasted just like salt,
at the thoughts of those final words never said .
You stood silently at the Quay smiled and waved to me ,
will you remember me kindly when I'm dead .
Though life unkindly dealt all the emotions that were felt,
hearts hung like dark clouds waiting for the sun .
If you could kindly wait a while until there's a smile,
maybe then we can forget the heartache done.
But the leaving is hard and grieving cannot guard
the courage that a thought or word could take away .
Although we are far apart you are always in the heart
and thoughts of you so very often stray.

By Paul McCann