-- A Long Time Ago --

John Herlihy

A long time ago since childhood,

Can’t remember the full half of it.

Just thinking about it sends longing,

As a flood over the dam of my heart.

Longing for all the youth of my days,

Longing for all the truth of my ways.

I feel a spear in all those little joys,

The beauty in all my precious toys.

Then the tug of those old sorrows,

A lingering kind the devil borrows.

The sudden loss of my best friend,

His life came to a premature end.

Those childish hurts in times past,

The free moments that never last.

I prayed for things with no name,

Hidden in my mind with no shame.

The ghosts of family so long gone,

Faded dreams now but sad song.

Poor father died amid great pain,

The time my mother died a stain.

Encircled in our little kingdom,

We blunder on in our wisdom.

Finally arrive to see things clear,

Precious memory we hold dear.

All wrapped up in the long ago,

Where headed we don’t know.

To stand firm and never cower,

Future comes in the near hour.

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(c) John Herlihy 28 November 2019