The Sweetest And Best (Poetry)

We all have our heroes —
you darling dead man
we are stuck with ourselves
but we long to be them

And you were my idol
now gone to the grave
the genius lost
adoration betrayed

I pick at the pieces —
those songs you bequeathed
and memorize love
in my hour of need

Should I pray to your picture
and call to your ghost
please forgive the addiction
your comfort means most

There were others before you
I will not name names
the passion proved fleeting —
mere flesh and blood games

But always there’s one
who’s ahead of the rest
and I saved you ’til last
as the sweetest and best

Maybe there’ll be someone
to stir me again
and quicken my pulse
but it won’t be the same

Meanwhile I will board
every train passing through
down those mystical tracks
where the old becomes new

and time doubles back
to a happier year
when life was the lyric
and you were still here