Always On My Mind Poem by David Keig

Often in my dreams I see her
She now looks older than before
And all around her countenance
Is a look that does implore
For me to grant forgiveness
And then try to understand
Why that time she chose to leave me
And return to her own land.

We’d met and become lovers
She had family down here
Myself I am Australian
And my father sheep did shear
My ancestors were convicts
But that was long ago
I met her and I thought we had
Agreed a path we would follow.

Now my dreams are tinged with sadness
And, when awake, I wonder why
She left me without warning
When she said she’d be my wife
Yes, it’s hard here in the country
It’s hard working on the land
But she dashed my optimism
And the future we had planned.

Now as the drought continues
And the risk of repossession's high
I now look back and wonder
If maybe she was right
I wouldn’t say she was a beauty
Nor of the ornamental kind
I wouldn’t say she was an angel
But she’s always on my mind.