July 10.2015 Poem by Raymond Farrell

This evening
As the sun
Makes its descent
In the west
I sit
Under the locust tree
And feel again
The sense of melancholy
I did
When Chinese New Year arrived
University exams ended
At noon today
And it seems everyone
Decided to vacate
The premises at the same time
Earlier this afternoon
People were streaming
Out the two main gates
Pulling suitcases
While burdened down
With back packs
Heading home
For the summer
The last month of cramming
Is over
And every square inch
Of this square mile campus
Is nearly devoid
Of people
Over 25 thousand people
Just packed up
And left
And I realize now
I must have grown
Emotionally attached
To the steady
Back and forth
Daily flow
Of the students
As they went about
Their daily tasks
Like a colony of ants
Now that they
Are gone
I feel a dissipation
Of energy
A sense of something missing
Maybe it's melancholy
Or loneliness
It is hard for me
To put my feelings
Into words.