I’ve Seen Them Come And Go Poem by Seán O Muiríosa

Right next door there is a house, smaller than my own.
There’s no one there now, it’s cold
With shades of pallid ghosts.
Ragged torn window nets hang damply down
Like crunched over muddy snow.
This used be someone’s home.

I’ve seen them come and go;
They’d move in during sunlight
All warm, smiley faced though worn.
And settling into their new-found nest
Neighbours would come and welcome
And stare at their walls that time would test.

I’ve seen them come and go;
The tall polish man with a lump
On his head like a sprouting red plum.
One wondered what parts he did come from.
Some with just too eerie a calmness
Suggested a Krakow slum.

I’ve seen them come and go;
The man with fury in his eyes.
Threw suitcases out his window as his blonde
Partner sniffled and cried on the ruffled lilac bed.
One wondered why she came here. Some said to escape
The city. Well she slipped back there away from here
And the man with fury in his eyes.

I’ve seen them come and go;
The lone parent British woman,
Two kids by her side.
Scraping the centies for something more.
Lets hope she got it. They departed swift
One random Wednesday morn at a chilly half past four.

I’ve seen them come and go;
My Friend Zara and her brothers
Their stay was short, raspy and fast
Thank God the smoke awoke them from their covers
One still wonders why they left, even why they came.
I’m convinced there’s more than a dodgy heater to blame.

I’ve seen them come and go;
Up here from my third floor.
But what I can’t see lies beneath
Tough grey concrete and a worn red wooden door.
I think I’ll stay there for just one night
Yes, I might, I might, I might.