Return of the Wanderer

There’s a time at night when the moon is full

And the breakers pound the beach,

The world is dark and asleep, the gull

Lies nesting at the breach,

It’s then that the stirrings from the depths

Reach out, like a dead man’s hand,

And shortly, out of the rivulets

There are footprints on the sand.

 

They come ashore and they stand awhile

And they point, this way and that,

Considering well which way to go

As the waves erase their tracks,

Then a breeze picks up and it parts the grass

In a line up from the shore,

And the shape of feet on a farmer’s stile

Are left, till they dry once more.

 

While up on the rise, a cottage sits

With a single faint night-light,

Its simple beam like a beacon streams

Through the tar-black pitch of night,

While deep inside in a cosy room

Sleeps a girl called Carolyn,

Who tosses fretfully in the gloom

As she dreams the words, ‘Come in!’

 

The footsteps up from the field below

Stand still at the old front door,

The lock is rusty, the hinges swing

For an inch, or maybe more,

The wind is moaning and soughing now

And the door is soon ajar,

As the footsteps enter that sacred place

Under the evening star.

 

And Carolyn lies and moans aloud

As his death invades her sleep,

Since ever the depths had formed his shroud

All she had done was weep,

The footprints stood, facing her bed

For an age it seemed, they kept

A silent vigil, there by her head

When she woke, the sheets were wet.

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn..]

After leaving here to take a walk on the stuffy side of authorsden and the feigned professionalism of folks who are only published because they paid to secure attention for themselves, it is such a refreshing and wonderful thing to read your moving, touching, and compelling poetry once more ...

This piece is beautifully penned, while tragically sad in its message of a lover who return home from sea no more ...

It brings a tear to my eyes, not just that this piece is sad but, that you have received 1695 views, to date, on this great poem and only 29 people took the time to tell you they appreciated all your fine effort ... It truly is discouraging times for writers of any genre in this video go fast, got no time but for Facebook and Twitter age in which we live ...

My proverbial hat is off to you!

Marv

[The earth (Titan maphah..]

All your poems are bombs they are all interesting

[Great Aunt Astri]

I thought this read extremely well, and the slightly obscure ending didn't matter at all. What do you call an 8 line verse, er, stanza? Is your poem a collection of PROSODY poems? Whatever, David, I thought it was well perceived and executed.

[Corset]

wet from salty tears or the salt from the sea no one really knows do we? Excellent pen!

[Lana Huskins]

This gave me chills! I know you probably hear this a lot, but you're an amazing writer!

[Tony Jordan]

He's not bad for an old duffer ...am I right David? lol

[Lana Huskins]

Lmao! Oh my.

[Great Aunt Astri]

Who? What? where?

[Lovecraft]

Wow, this is amazing. Far better than most of my poetry. :(

[Kathy Van Kurin]

David Lewis Paget,
I love the living essence of love living on in our hearts, souls and dreams. "Return of the wanderer." gave life to Carolyn's loss and intensity by her tears. What an amazing picture I see here of the process of her dreams from the world of reality to memory's dream. Like a story too. bless you much................Kathy

[Einstein Noodle]

"As she dreams the words, ‘Come in!’" simply brilliant says i! perfectly placed line ..a beautiful story to read ...i am grateful for the positive outcome as for a moment i was sure he would be taking the young lady to the depths with him .. she (in my mind) is too young to die ;) and her tears will dry and as he stands the vigil faithfully ... she remains safe .. great story once again sir! reading has awakened and uplifted my mind and heart
E.

[D Connolly]

I really love this type of poetry. I love when a story is told using rhymes and meter. It's really so beautiful. The imagery is so well written, I really felt like I was there! So lovely David, really.

[NY Duodu]

Sir David, this is Laury. A beautiful piece as always. I love the paget meter and how smooth it flows. I love the story. And I love the rhymes! You always remind me I have a long way to go. Very well crafted!