I stop and wonder of the old homes past
Crumbling from the bottom up
Why was it left behind?

My mind imagines the years gone by
A family full of love and life
Forever was with-in reach

***** children chasing fireflies at night
Ankles ringed with mystery dirt
Olly Olly Oxen Free

Rockers and gliders making front porches squeak
Grown folks keeping an eye
On kids running wild

Watermelon slices, so cold and sticky
Served to keep them at bay
Wash cloths always near by

Young ones knew that yellow lights in the windows
Meant that soon they would bed
Dreaming of tomorrow

But now, there was no yellow window light
No breeze blowing in to cool
The dreamers

Now there were echoes of innocent laughter
Under a missing roof
And darkness

The safe sounds of parents talking downstairs
Reduced to mere memory
What happened?

As I walked away from the old home at dusk
My heart heavy with loss
I wished them well