poem for 5/26

[Marian O'Grady]

one day

“Come, Nellie—here’s a letter from your mam 

with a message for you.” 

Grandfather read: 

“Please Da, tell Nellie  

that I’ll very soon I’ll send her a doll.

Your affectionate daughter, MaryAnne.”

Months earlier, with a spoon,

Nellie dug a hole near the rhubarb patch

added wildflowers, pretended it was her mother’s grave.

She hoped her mother’s new promise was true,

told friends at school: “I’m going to have a doll

from America, from my mother.” 

One day, they took the the ass an’ cart to Thurles;

at the station, Nellie noticed a passenger train from Dublin

  and asked, “Where’s it goin’, Granda?” 

“To Cobh, ’twas eight years ago that your mam sailed to America 

from Cobh an’ ‘twas but a few months ago that 

the grand Titanic left Cobh but ne’er made it to the States.”

Nellie listened to Granda’s history lesson 

but focused on her vow: one day I’ll take a train to Cobh, 

then a ship to America—

one day. . .one day. . .

©Marian O’Grady