Summers at a South Dakotan lake
Were a constant delight.
My brothers and I--three young boys--
Lived each day outright.

Having been sent to stay with our grandparents,
We certainly didn't mind,
For every day was a new adventure;
We'd left our worries behind.

Mornings Gramp brewed our coffee--
He was the first to awake.
We drank it together as the morning sun
Shimmered on the lake.

He'd pour some coffee into his saucer,
Then lift it to take a sip.
I'd copy him and lift my own--
Mindful of my grip.

I'm sure I pestered him with questions.
He probably wanted to enjoy
The calm, peaceful summer mornings
Without a pesky boy.

But the loving man never complained;
The kindness showed in his eyes.
Those were special moments we shared
As we waited for the others to rise.

As soon as we could, we boys would dash
Outdoors to explore and play.
So many wondrous possibilities
And never a boring day!

My favorite activity was cowboys and Indians--
I got to wear feathers, you see.
I laugh when I look at photos of then;
We weren't very PC.

I don't know how I did it, but
We would catch frogs until
We had enough to cook frog legs
On a makeshift grill.

We also caught catfish, bullheads, and perch
As we fished off the pier;
Or we'd take the boat out on the lake
When the weather was clear.

Once when we were out on the water,
A summer storm approached.
We had to speed back to shore as dark,
Threatening clouds encroached.

Back at the house all hell broke loose
With lightning, thunder, and rain.
Gram feared a violent tornado,
Which was her constant bane.

She and I fearfully sat
By the cellar door and waited,
While Gramp snored away in his room
Until the storm abated.

When Gram and I weren't playing cards,
She would be making a feast.
In the kitchen she displayed her skills
As a culinary artiste.

I'll never forget her scrumptious cookies,
Rhubarb pies, and bread.
Needless to say, she saw to it
That we remained well-fed.

Gramp kept busy working on projects--
Building, maintaining, repairing.
Once in a while--to Gram's dismay--
We could hear Gramp swearing.

The days passed so gloriously by,
And it wasn't long before
Our parents set out for South Dakota
And suddenly appeared at our door.

Soon we left to visit more relatives
Before heading west.
Though we had left our childhood paradise,
We were wonderfully blessed.

Much older now, I'm more reflective
And still seeking wisdom and truth.
But I'll always cherish those glorious days
Of my carefree, golden youth.

- by Bob B