Hazel McKay's "Trying" is a short, gentle message from someone who is far away from a person they love. The speaker admits right away that being a good friend from a distance is hard. They send their love, but the line "I try harder than I should" hints at strain, as if the effort costs them something, or as if they fear it still isn't enough.
In the second stanza the tone shifts from worry to reassurance. The speaker settles on what they can offer: "at least I try," "at least I care." Those repeated "at leasts" sound a little humble, even defensive, as though the speaker knows they're falling short. Then comes the comfort: "My dear, don't cry." The repeated "I'll be there" at the end works like a promise said twice to make it stick. The simple rhymes and short lines give the poem a soft, sincere mood, tender and slightly sad, but ultimately hopeful.