That Old Red Barn

I still remember that old barn so red; a center point of my youth;
Pickle barrels in the cellar; cows on the ground floor and hay stored in the loft.

I rode the John Deere a thousand times in and out of her wide, always opened doors;
Plowing fields near and far, but with her redness never out of my distant sight.

She housed the cows we milked and the tools we used throughout the long, hard day;
And, she was our playground on those summer days when chores were done by noon.

I remember her beautiful, natural smell that our city cousins abhorred;
And, I knew every nook and cranny that I could hide in to get away from their whines.

We would swing on the rope out of the loft, landing on piles of freshly cut hay;
And, just lay quietly in the night with a cool summer breeze passing through her doors.

It was in this red haven that I birthed my first calf and learned how to set a broken leg;
And, it was high in the loft with my high school sweetheart that I first became a man.

The farm that housed that wondrous red barn is now a mall parking lot;
But, the memories of lessons learned within are forever blazoned upon my mind.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2010

Poem

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Brown Avatar
December 13, 2010 at 10:27 AM
Congratulations on your win Joe in Rick's contest. Love, Carol
Fraser Avatar
December 12, 2010 at 6:47 AM
I'm with Francine on this one, it's wonderfully written, with many images to picture. Many congratulations on your win >> James
Roberts Avatar
December 11, 2010 at 7:17 PM
love this one, congrats on your win Joe
Dietrich Avatar
December 11, 2010 at 4:52 PM
aaah, dang it, another barn razed for a mall. I think one other person's entry had a barn with similar fate. This is really cool, and I am loving all the winning poems from this contest. Congrats on yours. LUv, Andrea
Freeman Avatar
December 11, 2010 at 9:59 AM
I remember her beautiful, natural smell that our city cousins abhorred; I, myself remember a barnyard smell where the cattle were fed, that I most supprisingly love too, Joe. Congratulations on yopur poem's honor. Agape, Moses
Sweetheart Avatar
December 11, 2010 at 6:09 AM
Congrats Joe on your winning poem in Rick's contest with this elegant write and win my friend.. enjoy another sweet victory with luv..
Mehta Avatar
December 11, 2010 at 4:57 AM
Congratulations on this well deserved win in the contest of Red barn
Devonshire Avatar
December 10, 2010 at 11:28 PM
How interesting that you see this barn as a "she," Joe. Perhaps it is because of the sentiments associated with it. Congratulations on your placement in Rick's contest! Love, Carolyn
Suzadail Jr. Avatar
October 7, 2010 at 9:26 AM
Memories!! Remeber the Red Man chewing tobacco ads on the sides. Better days. Vince
Kendrick Avatar
October 5, 2010 at 11:39 AM
Sorry about the loss of the friend of youth in the barn...I could feel your memories as I read your work..I am glad that I chose this one to read today..Sara
Richards Avatar
October 5, 2010 at 8:21 AM
I love this ....the nostalgia, the fond memory described through a growing young boy's eyes. A part of our country's history, slowly fading away. Love, Carrie
Gorelick Avatar
October 4, 2010 at 5:43 PM
Lovely memories...amazing how the Red BArn influenced lives...BG
Sapp Avatar
October 4, 2010 at 4:11 PM
Nice images Joe; especially the line natural smells. Hard for city folk to appreciate hay/aged manure/straw as a pleasant scent, but it damn sure is! Wayne
Roberts Avatar
October 4, 2010 at 3:58 PM
wonderful entry for the contest, brings back such sweet memories of youth
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