by Mimi and the Pooh

Today we wanted to relive the past,
back to the place where we played,
so we drove out to the country,
hoping to find the mistakes we had made.

Out past his old homestead,
the house now long gone.
Everything grown up in weeds,
The driveway where we talked till dawn.

Next we cruised our small town,
the roads now all have a name.
The corner grocery store isn't there,
nothing at all is the same.

Now on to my old farmhouse,
at the end of the dead end road.
The house replaced with a modular home
My emotions were on overload.

We pulled in the driveway and sat awhile,
half expecting my Mom to flip on the light,
But a stranger stuck his head out the door
We were sure he was ready to fight.

So hastily we told him our story,
that we were reliving sweet times of yore.
He called off the dogs, turned off the light
and shaking his head closed the door.

Pooh took my hand and looked in my eyes
and spoke in a voice soft and low
"I want to ask you to marry me,
Like I did those many years ago."

On to find our favorite haunt
in the tiny Buckner town,
our drive-in gone, now a Sonic stands
upon that revered ground.

When we stopped at the local Quick Mart
The seventeen year old came over me once more
as I repeatedly hit the auto lock
when he tried to unlock his door.

Then to Fort Osage High School,
the school song on Friday nights,
"Red and White her banner is"
rang out 'neath gridiron lights.

The place had doubled in size,
no more the small country school,
where we learned the facts of life,
according to Mrs Butler's rule.

My grandkids, the fourth generation
to walk through those hallowed halls,
They should have been our grandchildren
except for our many pitfalls.

Overwhelmed by the many changes
we decided to head for home,
for after the long and tiresome ride,
We both needed some "Protofoam".

11/13/2009