Caren Krutsinger Poet Free verse

Returning To My Childhood Yard

I walked to the backyard of my childhood home, and was surprised with a gorgeous garden.  No cinder pile, no tire swing, no cottonwood trees, no tree house, no dirty lumber, and no shed.  No proof we had ever been here.

A gloriously beautiful weeping almond tree held me spellbound, causing a myriad of emotions in me. This is what our backyard could have been, but never was.  A man in overalls waved me over.

I explained who I was, and asked permission to look around.  He did not recognize my name, So I tried the names of every neighbor I remembered, and I remembered them all.  My child’s heart smiled as I remembered spying on them for hours from my tree house perch.


I remembered the huts we built, digging to China in the ditch, and so many other terrific adventures.  I asked permission to walk around and he nodded his head, hospitality continued to be the norm here.

Was anything left of us? The warm sun loved me, as I walked, looking for any sign that we had ever lived in our family's homestead.  Three generations of living here, and what had we left?  At last, I discovered a solitary purple violet by our oak tree; it smiled, remembering me.

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Rhona Mcferran September 27, 2018 at 11:52 AM I love this poem... "This is what our backyard could have been, but never was"... I remember thinking something similar of a place we had once. Such a sweet, nostalgic write- "digging to China in the ditch", spying on neighbors from your tree-house perch... and the ending! Absolutely perfect! ;) Caren Krutsinger September 27, 2018 at 1:49 PM I had fun with this one, imagining myself back in that world of childhood butterfly land.

M. L. Kiser September 27, 2018 at 5:56 AM Beautiful, a perfect ending! "At last, I discovered a solitary purple violet by our oak tree; it smiled, remembering me." Caren Krutsinger September 27, 2018 at 6:39 AM I love thinking of what sometimes happens to landmarks, when they get loved all over again and enhanced, but there is always a part of us that wants the place to remember us.

Wendy Watson September 27, 2018 at 2:17 AM So well written that I was walking around there with you, Caren. I loved the way that nature is the permanent feature amidst all the changes and the choice of a sweet violet to take away as a memory. Caren Krutsinger September 27, 2018 at 2:38 AM Thank you Wendy. I appreciate it.

Tom Cunningham September 27, 2018 at 2:13 AM Lovely to reflect on your past Caren and see those happy memories. Tom Tom Cunningham September 27, 2018 at 10:19 AM My body clock is way out of sync lol Caren Krutsinger September 27, 2018 at 2:39 AM No one should be up at this hour Tom, it is 2:38 a.m. here! Thanks for your support.