Harry Whitmore's first poem "A Mind Gone To Sleep" was posted just yesterday. This second poem demonstrates what Harry said to me in his e-mail: "Poetry is straight from the heart and expresses what we can seldom say any other way."  - poetheart 06/12/01

The old man sits and watches as people go by
A boy with a dog, a man in a hurry trots by them
He sees a couple sitting nearby
And once again he remembers her love for him

He remembers how soft her lips were
How sweet and soft the sound of her voice
The shining of her hair
He never really had a choice

They loved each other, it's true
She made him come alive
But when she had to go, his heart turned so blue
He sits at times all day and just remembers when

She held his hand
She laughed with him
Made him feel like a man
It was never just a whim

Remembers Macknaw Bridge and Petoskey
The cabins they made love in
He loves her still, you see
Oh, if he could just see her once again

"Hey, Mister - Why you crying?"
The boy and dog sit and stare
They can tell he is hurting
They wonder why he is always there

They see him almost every day in the park
In Muskegon, he sits and remembers
Remembers happier times, back at the start
And inside his love for her always lingers

She told him she loved him so much
But she had to do what she thought was right
She craved his love and desired his touch
To watch her walk away took all his might

When evening comes he will go
Back to his little room
And miss her so
Hold her pictures - Do you feel his gloom?

His eyes sometimes twinkle though
Remembers how she loved him so
In his mind he can still feel her touch
God, he still loves her so much

Used to be a store over there to which they would go
Loved to buy her clothes and such
Tell her she was so pretty and made her face glow
Oh God, just one more touch?

Now they laugh at him sometimes
This old man from way down South
Why does he talk so funny?
Is it just his mouth?

In his room are pictures of her
Took them of her when he could
Oh how he wishes many more there were
Have taken many more he should

She took his heart with her, you see
That day when she had to leave
Made him promise, you see
To remember her always and to never grieve

Try as he does to hold a smile
A tear falls as memories flood in
And a quiver of the cheek, oh so mild
He always misses her so, now once again

So if you're passing by
Blow your horn and say hi
To the old man in the park
He will wave and then inside sigh

by Harry Whitmore

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