I Remember

I remember the places I have seen:
the sea roaring its defiance in blue-black waves,
the gulls shrieking, circling overhead,
the smallest waves caressing the sands.

I remember the places I have lived:
the gaudy coastal town, full of life,
a quiet country land with horses and dogs,
the bustling metropolis, lonely and grey.

I remember the people I have been:
a child throwing water balloons from a swing,
an angry teenager teetering on a wall,
a sad and scarred adult weeping.

I remember those I loved and lost:
my idol, who betrayed me out of spite,
my broken friend who disappeared long ago,
the gentle homely friends who love me.

I remember all that I have learnt:
the joys of literature, quenching heartache,
the clean cold ecstasies of science,
the brown happiness theology bestows.

I remember, I remember...
but this is in the past now, long gone,
I live now alone, a storm-blasted elm,
remembering the times that destroyed me.