An Era Lost

Deep in his heart had urgent need to go just one last time, To place where he grew up; would childhood memories rebound? Went with fear and misgivings; was he wise or asinine? Step after step, he strolled over boyhood holy ground. His old home place caved in; slowly declining to dust. Gone forever the barnyard, where country kids had a blast. The old barn had fallen down; tin roof was going to rust. Rural glory censored; now archived in the past. Old outhouse lay shambles as he passed it on the path. Priceless memories of his childhood flashed through his mind. There he would hide out, read comics, and have a million laughs, In the ole two-hole potty, the one-half bath of its time. Quite amused, he recalled, when one was installed, Inside the house; a porcelain potty, shiny and clean! Could use paper off a roll; not tear leaf from catalog! Thought of whole house smelling of exotic soaps and chlorine. Went down a lane where ‘bacco’ was cured in old log barn. Thoughts of days running at leisure through the tall longleaf pines, School breaks, church picnics, flirting with girls, fishing in a pond, Family reunions, grandma’s house, all these ran though his mind. The fields were lush and green; farmers co-ops now the regime. Small farmer could not compete with “Goliath” of the day. End of humble rural everyday life had not been foreseen. A titan enterprise took his utopia away. Thoughts of yesteryear began to give way to those of today, Dealt with facts of the present; rightly the best prescription. Would not dwell on good ole days; that would merely delay, Healing of grief for spent past; stay future’s key redemption. Went away with a pining heart, a woeful mood within, Recalling a time rich for a boy raised on the farm, Loving the good land, his family, neighbors and dear friends, Wishing each child understood farmland’s magnificent charm.