Only Footstones Remain Intact
" Can you feel the soul of an abandoned house;
can you hear the whispering?"
quote...by Constance La France
As I approach the abandoned house of my youth
rain is falling
I came to remember its sights and sounds
without the illusion of youth
before it disappears in the void of years
only the footstones seem intact
leading to the crumbling porch of decaying wooden planks
where my grandmother would sit in her rocking chair
as I played on the steps of Pinewood
the oak tree I climbed is covered in Spanish moss
its limbs dying
the swing set I used is laying in grasses of brambles and weeds
having rusted away
the front door languishes on a single hinge
cocked to the side
allowing dust and dirt to be blown inside
I slowly step inside, my eyes scanning the shadowed light
feces of critters lay scattered on the floor
my mother would constantly sweep clean
the scent of rotten wood and mold
have replaced the smell of my dad's pipe
my hands touch the walls
as I walk from room to room
each one filled with voices and memories
rain is pouring through the roof
onto the floor of my yesterdays without mercy
there is nothing here in this empty barren space
hollowed out from time
leaving the ghosts of yesterday
hidden in the dim-lit shadows of decay
their remembered whispers follow me
as I leave, I look back
with a sadness that will linger in my mind
5/26/23
contest Writing Challenge "C" quotes
sponsor Constance La France
Copyright © Frederic Parker | Year Posted 2023
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