Let’s take a stroll down memory lane.
Back to when I was a kid.
I’ll try to remember some antics again,
And relate to you what I did.
Remember the lamps, the coal-oil lamps,
We had before electric lights?
It was my job to keep the oil in them,
And the shades all shiny bright.
Many a bucket of cobs and coal,
I carried through the door.
And then the ashes got carried out,
Before they spilled on the floor.
We’d go to town on Saturday night,
Seven miles in our ‘35 Chevrolet.
We’d buy our groceries for the week,
Then leave for home right away.
We had chickens, rabbits, pigs, and a cow.
We lived on a farm, we did.
Mom and Dad and Grandpa,
And of course all eight of us kids!
We had a garden, all spaded and planted,
With rows ninety feet long.
An apple orchard and wheat field,
We hid in when things went wrong.
We had a chicken house, smoke house, wash house,
A coal house, and cellar that was new.
We also had the Sears catalog,
And a little house with seats for two.
We took many a jaunt into the woods,
That surrounded our fields and home.
We gathered many walnuts, gooseberries, and polk,
And fished just about all day long.
We played shadow tag in the moon’s bright light,
Blind man’s bluff in the sun.
We played Mother may I, and stoop tag,
Red light, and run sheep run.
Sometimes I’d take Jersey to the pasture.
She’s stand by the gate and look bored.
Once, the neighbors cow came at me,
She had horns...And I almost got gored!
With eight kids in the family,
We’d put on talent shows.
We’d do magic tricks, recite a poem,
Sing songs, or dance on our toes.
We had our special trees for swings.
Our tree house, in one real tall!
We had one for our special reading place,
And of course, one from which we would fall.
We had broken fingers, bandaged toes,
Banged up arms and legs.
It’s a wonder mom and dad weren’t old,
Way before their time to age.
My brain is getting weary now.
The years begin to fade.
I face what future lies ahead,
More memories to be made…..