He and his wife lived in a big two-story house
No one ever asked if he was a man or a mouse
Most people thought that he was mean
It's true that he would often let off steam
He was a friend of my dad
when I was just a lad.
But I saw him as my friend
And sat with him now and then
I thought him to be strong and brave.
He often helped us kids to be well behaved.
I remember back then when sunny days were long,
and kids couldn't wait to grow us and leave home.
Much of my leisure time was spent with Mr. Bains
Talked mostly about everyday life and baseball games.
Nighttime Sounds
The sounds of the night
So different from the day
The quiet of the night amplifies the softest sound
Branches crack in the distance
The leaves crackle when stepped upon
It doesn’t matter if it was a man or a mouse
Your heartbeat and breathes make sure to let you know you are alive
The sounds of the day are non-existent in the dark
Everything can be heard as the sun goes down
The chirping of a cricket on a warm summer night
An owl’s call echoes off of distant walls
The beating wings of birds are enough to make your heart beat
The sounds of the night are beautiful
Yet the nighttime world frightens people used to the light
In the darkness of the night they do not know what they are missing
They do not care to learn beyond their fear
They hide from the sounds of the night
They hide from a unknown life
If only they knew
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