Lost But Not Forgotten

A Poem by felioness

Dialogue between brother and sister

The winds are rising sister,

tis time to go.
The clouds have gathered
soon there'll be more snow."

"Oh Billy Boy!
You're frightened are ye not!
..tis not the snow you fear, m'dear!"

"Don't tease sister!
"I knows what I saw!
"Besides, you promised pa
we'd be puttin on his tea..."

“Ach, now little brother
you ain't foolin me!
Now tells me again,
...what did ye see?

“Please sis, let’s go!
Yer being mean!
...and the dark is closin in ...
'sides Father Pritchard says it's a sin
to speak of such unholy things!"

“But Billy! I wants to see!
I wants to see with me own true eyes!
Then pr'haps pa won’t wup yer tender hide
sayin yer tellin lies when ye wake him
screamin from them dreams....!"

"Ach sister, ye never shoulda tolds me where they laid her to rest...
an that I suckled from her dying breast
until the hearth was as cold as her departed flesh...
An me a wee babe and all left alone with her
til ye and paw returned next day, besides ...
ya well know pa can’t abides me still!”

“Hush Bill!
Don’t talk that way,
pa loves ya fine!
And mebbe I ain’t yer ma
but yer still mine, Billy boy, raisin ye up and all ...
Now tells me true!
.. did ye hear her call?”

“I’m leavin, sis yer so doggone mean!
'sides you knows 'zactly what I seen,
I never shoulda told ya,

now yer allas preyin on my mind,
pesterin and a-pickin alls the time!"

"...but yes sis... she called my name!
I saw a shape and the wind was blowin...
and, it, no, I means “she” was draped

in a shroud of linen!"

(Billy turns and walks away)

"Billy wait, I’m sorry!"

" Billy wait for me...I'm a comin an I promise,
we don’t never needs to go this way again..."
"Billy...Billleee!?"