Only Memories Of What Was

The years have  left me looking old and gray
Far south of those old green fields far away
That i may never walk upon again
And only memories of what was with me remain

Yet in fancy on a calm evening in May
In the twilight of a beautiful Spring day
On a silver birch i hear the robin sing
The gift of memory is an amazing thing

The white breasted dipper with the high pitched song
Sings  where the river rapids do babble along
The thrush sized water bird with breast as white as snow
His ancestors were birds that i once did know

In the countryside where i was born and raised in i grew to love Nature as a boy
And learning of her ways today i enjoy
But of Nature so little i can claim to know
And my wonder of her never ceases to grow

Far north and far inland from Hibernia's shore
In the fields of Claraghatlea in view of Clara that overlooks Claramore
I learned my first lessons in Nature many Seasons ago
And many decades before time  did become my foe.