A Reply to ‘O Captain, My Captain’ by Walt Whitman

My love, My love – On dangerous sea.

Do you smile when you think of me?

O, I have stood on windy shores.

Screaming your name into the void,

I am yours for evermore.

O, Pain, pain, pain – Fills my cold heart!

Battered broken ship returns – I run to you

I dreamt of this day since your journeys start

searching the solemn, saddened faces for yours

Where have you been – what have you seen –

Our son I see with tears in his eye

My lungs lose all air, as I see where you lie

Cold, dead, at the feet of our child

O, my love, my love – come back to me

Lost without you in this wilderness.

I curse those serpent tongues – killers

They dare speak your name in whispers

O, my anger would have me strike them down!

But love, O, my love – you would temper me.

You would sing me songs of love, of joy.

Now, I stand on those same shores

Still I am yours, Still I must go on

I see you in the face of our darling son

He wishes with all his heart to fill your shoes.

Your journey ended, his hath begun.