One Last Hope
By John Herlihy

In the recesses of my mind lies the specter of hope,
An unassuming ghost with the tenacity of a rope.
It holds itself in reserve with a patience that is beautiful;
A mirage hovering in the distance that is equally bountiful.
Our emotions run riot leaving us fluttering beyond repair;
We ride the crest of sentiments from ecstasy to despair.
Hope can seem a strange curiosity arrived from an alien shore;
It doesn’t seem to fit with the petitions that our hearts implore.
But when everything is lost and there is no fire left to burn,
Hope abides eternal and makes possible our life to balance return.
There is always one last hope to bring us back from the brink;
One last miracle we may need. to awaken our good will to think.
Love belongs to God as an emotion that we learn through trust;
But hope is the dream of the waking man before turning to dust.