Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Newport Blues

Before the base shut down, and
the America's Cup migrated west,
they wandered the streets of Newport,
sailor hats cocked to one side
and a Gene Kelly spring in their stride.
War wasn't yet a teacher,
wiping their innocence clean.

My cousin came back from the 'big one',
just to be killed on the road by a drunk
with much better aim than the Germans.

After Nam, with my husband land-based in Newport,
I searched the cobblestone streets
like a crazy woman,for some hint
Dolph was still there.
Maybe I thought ghosts of old sailors
returned to the place their free fall began,
came to retrace their steps home.
Back to their mother's arms.
Back to a lover's embrace.
No different, really, in that longing
from any of us, when our own
life-changing wars begin.

Pris Campbell (c)2006

9 comments:

Pris said...

Hi Helen
Thanks. I'm beginning to write again as the 'cold from hell' slowly takes its leave from my body.

Pat Paulk said...

Life is a war in many different ways, some get more time on the front lines than others. Love it Pris!!

Pris said...

Thanks, Pat...and you said it!!

polona said...

poignant... i love it!

Pris said...

Hi Polona
Thanks!

Unique Designs from Zazzle said...

WoW

Pris said...

Thanks, Shane and hi!

Joyce Ellen Davis said...

Amazing how many of us have written about "ghosts" today....see Dana's post about a dog-ghost!

Pris said...

I'll have to track back to your posters to find Dana. I don't recall anybody named Dana posting to me or on my links. That IS interesting, though.