PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

It was getting late, the day was done,

I thought for the day I'd had enough.

The wind was howling through the eaves,

There was talk of rain but very little seen.

I was locking the side gate as the wind caught,

And ripped from my grip my task sought.

With an echoing crash the gate hit the fence,

Like a cymbal sounding someone caught undressed.

And then in my disquiet I saw a figure down the drive,

I shook my head as to who should arrive?

At this time and amongst this weather,

Then she called "Did you get a letter?"

I fumbled for composure and propped that gate,

And called back, "What letter for goodness sake?"

As I gestured for her to come towards,

Me, as I saw a likeness I'd seen before.



"Let's get inside," I said to her calmly,

"Before the weder gods send another army.

As she began to say, "...the one my mother sent,"

In finishing my first query of her intent.

We entered in through the back of my home,

And I re-turned on the heating now I wasn't alone.

I offered her a seat and a cup of something hot,

She looked cold and weary yet smiled alot.

A young woman who reminded me of someone,

The name lost in the fractures of time undone.



"My mum said she'd send you a letter,

So when I arrived you'd be preparedd."

She quietly said with a hopeful look,

And then gazed away as if off-put.

I asked who her mother was in hope of an inclination,

As to why she had arrived to my lonely station.

Then just before she uttered the name,

I saw her mother's features as if through window pane.

The one who had screamed in ecstasy "I caught ya!"

And I realised that I had a daughter.



She had come to meet her dad,

A daughter I never knew I had,

As I asked her what name she'd been given,

In a life I should've but never knew living.

She told me her name was Kristen Holly Campbell,

I smiled and opened my arms to offer my help.

And she rose up and gave me the warmest hug I've known,

As it was if she was never going to let go.

I asked her how was her mum,

And how it was she'd let her come,

For Katie Campbell had the tenure of a hawk,

As I remembered her when we would talk.



Kristen said her mum had not been well,

And Kristen's wish was to help her heall,

By giving her the space for her to recover,

In finding her dad cum mother's ex-lover.

In hopefully to find the man that planted the seed,

And who'd said to come to him if of need.

I nodded and thought back to the time,

But had not the idea that the love would shine.

For now the girl before my eyes,

Had so much beauty and so much life.

And I could only fall back in my chair,

Trying to come to grips if I still cared.



But this young woman was my daughter,

And had Katie's grace as she'd have taught her.

I could not turn her away in this furious night,

For now it was my duty to see her alright.

So I indicated that it was late,

And had a spare room if she wanted to stay.

And we should talk, discuss and make plans,

It be in the morn' where the dutiful stand.

She gave a sigh of relief as if she had found her chair,

And I gave myself the cerebral luxury that I still did care.

As I smiled and got up to show her her bed,

And asked if recently she had been fed.

She said she was fine and had eaten that night,

As I pictured my memory cards of her mother's plight.



Her mother got better but too much water under the bridge,

She was pretty self determining and kept herself out of reach.

But Kristen came and went throughout my stationed days,

And gave me the hope of life to which my love it saved.

And I saw her marry and give the world children herself,

That I sit on my knee and the story I tell,

Of how no matter the distance of time or of life,

That if love comes to your door in trouble or strife,

You must care for it and give it a place to stay,

That will let it live to blossom one day,

And though the future's uncertain and the now moves so fast,

You must let love in for it's made in the past.



(c)R,H.Elliott 2004