For Gillian Park

I remember the blasphemous sands Where I wrote a Gaelic name And how cold the wind was How warm your naked breasts. I was a coward in 1995 When I left you in tears And now in 2005 I'm a coward once more For I come to Waterford's shore To pretend forevermore That you are not dying. When you sleep with Connor I will walk to where we laid Pray for him and your children And for the coward in me. I remember how we danced in Corfu Where olive groves shied to our movements And the wind was soft as your mouth And the sea green as Glendalough. When you sleep with Connor He will kiss you softer than me He took the tide and made it your jewel Where as I left you at terminal one Crying And leave you now terminally ill Dying. I remember the way you were Forget the way you became I'll remember what you gave And how I like cancer Left your breasts ravaged And lungs choking for air.