The Last Farewell Poem by John F. McCullagh

Last night we kissed hands goodbye,
never dreaming that it was forever.
Unsuspecting that you, my dear child,
soon would lie cold and still neath the heather.

The graceless Sun thoughtlessly shines
I would eclipse it forever.
The death I prepared for was mine,
but God twists the knife and is clever.


First your sister, thirteen summers ago
Then, soon after, I lost your dear Mother.
Now you, daughter- taken from me.
There's no chance this old man can recover.

The comet that shone at my birth
Will soon light its way through the heavens
I beg that it bears me away-
lets me stop being Samuel Clemmens.


(This poem is about the death of Mark Twain's daughter, who died on 12/24/1909. The speaker is Mark Twain. (Samuel L. Clemmens) He died four months later as Halley's comet lite the night sky. He was born during one visit of the comet and died upon its return.