Faraway Places

He often spoke of the sea, wind and sail

that carried him, ship and crew

to far off ports.

Life was hard, he would say,

high winds and monstrous waves

the roll of the ship in a pounding sea.

How good it was to make port

and walk along the shore -- places,

Faraway places

with all those musical sounding names,

and smiling faces.

Yet, he remembers too the rattle of the spoons

and the clatter, clatter of the bamboo,

the rhythmic beat of the food peddler,

hawking his spicy foods

Yes, he would say, not often enough

but at times a passing smell,

unlocks long forgotten memories --

and with a blushing smile

He would say, the good old days.

Yes! He's gone now, but you know,

I saw him yesterday

A gust of wind, a whiff

big as life he was

with a blushing smile,

the good old days,

and then, he was gone.

-- By RH Johnston