Big Lorraine by pd Lyons

I dreamed my love had found me
my children gathered too
put down all their weapons
eased their hearts cried their fill
then they began to play
like they did when they were young
and when I woke I’d forgotten
all my dreaming days were done.

I went down to make the coffee
sat by the open window
ran my fingers through my hair
thought I heard somebody talkin’
voices carry on the air
birds out over the ocean
rising silver like a prayer

Big Lorraine is in Cape Breton Nova Scotia, Canada. In one of those vast woodland logics of Cape Breton, Big Lorraine is much smaller a town than Little Lorraine is. In fact, I don’t think there’s more than a house or two visible from the highway. Maybe it was different back in the day? Anyway, Cape Breton is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever lived in. There are many ghosts along the rugged coast and throughout the highlands where sometimes they don’t even get a town left standing for them. So, this is a ghost poem, and it is obviously for Big Lorraine.

A version appears in Caribu & Sister Stones: Selected Poems by PD Lyons, selected by Deirdre Kearney, Published by Lapwing, Belfast, 2009.

About the Poet:

Born and raised in the USA. Currently residing in Ireland. The work of pd Lyons has appeared in publications throughout the world. Poetry collections published by Lapwing Press, Belfast, erbacce-Press, Liverpool & Westmeath Arts Council Ireland. For more please visit https://pdlyons.wordpress.com/