Days Gone By
The monster of a gate commanded my attention
Heavy,wrought iron, ornate. A definite unquestionable boundary
It guided to a beautifully shaped pool
My gaze traveled to the house, three full stories
I imagined large rooms, the kind that could welcome a 10 foot
Christmas tree and both sides of the family.
Large shuttered windows strategically placed, it was a beauty.
This house had lived
Mommas had worn the floor rocking their babies
Cowboys had blown out birthday candles
And princesses had danced on their daddy’s shoes
How many paths had been paced waiting for that
Precious one to cross the threshold
How many goodnight kisses had been stolen before they crossed
Stockings had been hung, eggs had been hunted
Mother’s and Father’s Day presents glued and colored
And heads bowed before supper
The welcoming porch hugged and the perimeter of the front
Large wicker chairs with plumped pillows on either side of the open
Window while the curtain blew in the breeze
How many glasses of lemonade on hot afternoons, hands raised as
Neighbors passed, and bowls of homemade ice cream after church
What color had the house been, it was now hard to say
Not enough paint left to peel. The shutters hung crooked and the
Thousands of footsteps had worn the porch thin while small
Houses ate it’s yard
The big gate guarded a stained, empty swimming pool
And the ghost of giggles from days gone by
Copyright © Laurie Ginn | Year Posted 2009
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