Of Loss and Love

He hadn’t been home a day before

He found that his wife had died,

The doctor said it was sudden, that

There was something wrong inside.

He couldn’t be more specific till

The autopsy was done,

He’d have to wait for a week for that,

‘It’s the same for everyone.’

 

He went on back to an empty home

And then he gave way to grief,

It wasn’t as if he had a friend

To offer him some relief,

He’d been away on the ocean swell

On a Tramp from Amsterdam,

For six months out of eleven when

He should have been home, with Pam.

 

A sailor’s life is a lonely life

He had known that from the start,

He possibly shouldn’t have taken a wife

When they’d be so far apart,

For seven years they had worked it out

And his wife had said she’d cope,

But loneliness is a dreadful thing

When you’re living your life in hope.

 

He’d loved her well and she loved him too

In their sentimental way,

She’d managed to hide her tears each time

That his ship had sailed away,

But once he had seen the autopsy

It had torn him quite apart.

It seems his wife had despaired of dreams

And died of a broken heart.

 

He didn’t go back to sea at once

But he hung around in bars

And managed to get himself so drunk

That all he could see was stars,

He thought his grief would diminish as

The days had turned into years,

But love for him didn’t finish, it

Just seemed to work in reverse.

 

He even took down her pictures, and

He locked them all in a drawer,

He didn’t want the reminder of

What he had lost before,

But life is a game of chances and

It never will be denied,

He met a nurse when he found her purse

And something lit up inside.

 

It seemed her job was a lot like his

She was always working shifts,

They met whenever they could, and he

Found he was buying gifts,

He went away on a Tramp again

But just one month at a time,

And she was waiting when he returned

Like a welcome carafe of wine.

 

He spent some time at the cemetery

To honour his wife, his Pam,

And she asked if she could come along

To which he had said, ‘You can.’

He wed the girl in the early Spring

And he found a job ashore,

And swore he’d never go back to sea,

She couldn’t have loved him more.

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Workvio]

I have had this piece bookmarked for quite some time, as circumstances have made it difficult for me to be on the web as much as I desire to ... It is my loss to have not read this sweetly sad and romantic poem before today ... This poem speaks to my heart in ways you may never know or understand ... It is very well written and the message is most powerful and emotional to an old fool like me ... Bravo ...!

[minisla]

Great tale could have added a few more lines not that you didn't cover the story well enough but the piece flowed so well you felt like you'd been short changed or something...

[R Smith]

great that he found the love to keep him at home in the end, a sad marriage ends sadly but he gets a second chance, just love the way it ends David, happiness is just so desirable in this world :)

[andrew mitchell]

Yes how true we learn from mistakes often too late in a special touching write David. I just wrote a piece about a autopsy from a broken heart before I read this lol. Must be the weather going around lol

[A Soap Mess Stories]

a bittersweet romance...great story DLP...

[Vishuddha]

Living life is all about learning. Poor Pam learned the hard way, but who ever said life would be easy?
The sea is a harsh mistress and ships are jealous maids. How many females can one serve?

[Confuser]

David: Great writing as always. Truly sad...great lessons in life: The title Of Loss and Love is perfect. Loved every single word. Gorgeous composition. Thank you so very much. Dale

[Marie]

Having a husband who goes away for six months of the year sounds ideal to me. But I've been married three times...

[Valentine]

A very nice story, reminded me of my oldest brother and a brother-in-law who both served their time and retired from the navy. Out for long months at sea, home for a short time and then off again. Hum, neither of their marriages lasted, only it was the men that wanted out. Must of had a "WIFE" in every port.. [smiling] Valentine

[Willard Wells]

Very sad yet beautiful story of lost and found love. You brought tears to my eyes with this story. As always, an excellent use of the english language. Thanks for sharing