When just a young’un
free of care and worry
the Reunion held
joys and excitement
slipping on the couch
vacated by Gramps
stealing precious minutes
of sleep before the day
breakfast at the Restaurant
Granny at the grill
familiar faces watched
impromptu singing and dancing
a trip down the street
Dad’s Mom and Dad
childish disregard thought
stifling and dull without cousins
Pavilion fills between two family homes
elders jawing, women gossiping
an afternoon stop
for a quick bite
readiness grows for dark
lights and shrieks of
laughter, joy, music, arguments
line dance seamlessly across thoughts
Time to go
as cars, family and stranger
use the driveway
as a parking lot
crowd mills, lines form
a thrown rock
hits two relatives
before the ground
a girl catches my eye
Want to go on the Spider?
we rise and fall, twirl and laugh
a lifetime together in a moment
time to go
tired protests fall
on deaf ears
time for bed
a coon’s age
has passed, blurring
memories into legend
half-remembered truth
Gramps’ Restaurant closed
weeds and trees
claiming childhood feelings
of home and love
cousins have grown
scattered, changing
one small town from
friendly to stranger
little left of what
I remember, but
I do remember fine
that I had a big time
This poem is for dVerse’s Meeting the Bar: Hearth, Home and Common Speech. From dVerse: Today’s challenge is to search for a new poem, uniquely you — using the words you might say to a neighbor or friend, keeping it familiar and seeking to make it distinctly you, about you, in your vernacular. I think by now you know to post your poem on your blog, copy that blog link below on Mr. Linky, read and comment on your fellow poets and enjoy.
This is my take on the challenge. Hope you enjoy! Head on over to read some great poets and, what the heck, make one of your own and join in the fun.
Happy Reading and Writing!
J. Milburn