I stay

Ships will sail from the harbor’s embrace, 
Taking patriots far, far away. 
Planes will vanish, the skies to erase, 
To rest until spring's gentle sway.
 
Yet I stay here, forever I'll be,
On the dock, by your side I remain. 
Let the cold winds of winter run free, 
The waves whisper softly again:
 
“Stay with your homeland, forever and true.
Protect it, and love it, for you are its son.
You’re the soul of this land; don't bid it adieu. 
Cherish its spirit; its strength is not done.”
 
In warm southern dreams patriots reside,
Standing tall for their nation’s bright flame. 
But I dwell in these walls, worn inside, 
Not a hero, just part of the game.
 
Snow falls silently beyond my pane, 
In the courtyard, a stillness profound. 
She enters my home, no word to explain, 
Her voice is a whispering sound:
 
“Stay with your homeland, forever and true.
Protect it, and love it, for you are its son. 
You’re the soul of this land; don't bid it adieu. 
Cherish its spirit; its strength is not done.”
 
Morning comes, and I step out the door, 
To a yard wrapped in frost’s icy sway. 
A few souls sweep their homes, chores galore, 
Their thoughts scattered like dust swept away.
 
They glance at me, murmuring low, 
No greeting, just silence they keep. 
As I pass, their whispers still flow, 
A chorus that follows me deep:
 
“Stay with your homeland, forever and true. 
Protect it, and love it, for you are its son. 
You’re the soul of this land; don't bid it adieu. 
Cherish its spirit; its strength is not done.”
 
I drift to the pier, dreary and gray, 
Standing still at its cold, bitter edge.
 In the waters below, I cast thoughts away,
 Farewell to my patriotic pledge.
 
In these frozen and desolate days,
Only madness and ghosts linger near. 
Bodiless voices in misty displays, 
Mourning lives that they once held so dear.
 
Through the walls, they softly arrive, 
To the living, their whispers still drift. 
If you’re born here, you can’t just survive, 
Listen close to their gift:
 
“Stay with your homeland, forever and true.
Protect it, and love it, for you are its son. 
You’re the soul of this land; don't bid it adieu. 
Cherish its spirit; its strength is not done.”