03/14/2022
I sat here with time on my hands wondering just what I could do
I had no task that would demand that I pay attention to
instead, I sat and wrote this poem not one of my better works
but you could say I have chosen to write these words with all their quirks
fifty-five years ago, today we landed on these shores
embarking from a mighty ship along with many more
the Queen Mary was her name a famous ship of war time
but alas this was the last trip that she sailed the line
as her long life had come to an end and to dry dock she was sent
to be parked in a permanent place to be a monument
for her it was the end but for us a new beginning
as we started a life in the USA one that we were willing
to give it a try to make it work not knowing of the future
hoping that this new life would make us all the richer
now fifty-five years later a lot has come and gone
alas I am sad to say no happy ending to this song
those of us that are alive are all still living here
my wife has gone to the promised land for her there is no fear
along with one of the daughters who chose to take her life
rather than lose her husband who wanted a different wife
I have two sons in England who carry the family name
and they are left to carry on the only ones to remain
and one of them has daughters with them the name will end
from our side of the family no one to help it extend
all the others of my family have long since passed away
I am the only one that remains to have the family say
my time is short as I grow old the last to sing this song
and the name will die on my side of the line when my sons pass on.
do I regret making the move leaving a land so green
a part of me wish I had stayed but the future was unforeseen
the land that I remember the one that I loved then
is changed and gone forever as time marches to the end
and I will die in a foreign land to end this wistful song.
and people will grieve not be deceived nor rejoice when I am gone
some I hope will remember me well for the good that I have done
maybe others not so much for my friends I am an abstraction
travelling around never in one place it’s hard to keep in touch
and years have passed but friendships last and still mean just as much
maybe we’ll meet on the other side of wherever we will end
if this is so then I want you to know that everyone is my friend.
Written 03/13/2022. Read my other poems at https://pondblog2011.com