This Old House

This Old House….

 

Like the darkened, spotted petals

Of a rose, lying on the soil

Beneath the tree

These four walls and a porch

Sits crumbling

Long past its glory

Faded, mold-studded

Spots mar the

Silky tissues

Once bloomed

With dynamic

Drama and light

Now lay wasted

Boarded for the rats

Ivy climbs the walls

The roof has caved

The memories

Last forever

Written

In the ghostly air

Upon this place

Ancestral drama

Played out on this

Stage. Relations

Long past raced among

These hills and

Called this house

Home.

Never to be lived

In again.

It sits upon this hill

Alone.

 

 

Bright Ocean Star; October 7, 2015

Author's Note

I was inspired by an old memory of visiting my great grandparent's old house in upper New York State more than a decade ago. A sad old shack, a shell of it's former self. Amazing it was still standing...

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

like the house on haunted hill....but i can feel it in this poem....a house that longs to be lived in again, that wants attention...and the hills are the house's only companions...but the house wants that activity..it is lonely...

love the perspective..

[Bright Ocean Star]

Thank you, Jacob.

[Ranger Kessel]

I can definitely relate. I am from a small town and see this kind of thing all the time. You have written a beautiful piece that brought me to places I had forgotten. Thank you. This is beautiful

[Lyn Anderson]

There is nothing more sad and lonely, yet more inviting and intriguing, than an old abandoned house. -- Note, I would probably substitute "Are" for Sits in the Sit crumbling line, but that's just me.

[Bright Ocean Star]

Yeay! You've been to visit two of my little poems! I've missed this place, and all of you. Thank you for your review and your insight. Hugs!

[Lyn Anderson]

I missed you too. I have been busy since my return.

[Bright Ocean Star]

I noticed! I should be getting my laptop back from the repair shop soon, so hopefully, I'll be able to spend more time on here reading your new pieces! Thanks again for your binge reading on my pieces.

[Sami Khalil]

Those memories bring the past alive when we appreciate them and the imagery they evoke. You have shared a good one in a marvelous write...:)..........

[Bright Ocean Star]

Thank you for your kind words, Samis. I appreciate you dropping by. :)

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome. ...:).......

[Cryingkate]

Wow ! reminds me of an old abandoned house i once wanted. I live in upstate NY. hmm what are the odds???
What town?
Ps. I love your rendition of "old house" :-)

[Bright Ocean Star]

Thank you Kate. Malone, NY. I am happy to see you drop by, and I'm glad you liked this one.

[Cryingkate]

Home Sweet Home..... A Majority of my Ancestors once settled there after migrating from France to Canada and before moving to Rome and Syracuse. I've been dealing with a calling to move there.
I've been thinking it would be so much easier to finish my Family tree going back and have been wondering if I'd find any of the old homes for photo's. Neat !
Thanks so much for sharing.
Wow ! Still who knows.. Perhaps there really is some kind of intersection.
Loved your poem and love the possibility :-)

[Bright Ocean Star]

Wow...this is really a small world. I only got to go visit once about 10 years ago. It was really fascinating to see where my dad's roots came from. His people came from Scotland and Ireland, his mother was French, and they came down from Canada to settle along the eastern seaboard. His mother, father, and grandparents settled in Malone, though. So nice of you to read and leave such beautiful comments about this piece. Thank you, my friend.

[Cryingkate]

Oh wow ! Bet we have some kindred blood. I've been doing Genealogy since 1999 I have a humongous, stockpile of surnames in my head, I followed near every name to origin. In most cases those French lines all connect. Esp. the Acadians (the first French settlers)
Private email me if you want to try and find out. OMG ! it would be fun....
Just in case..... Have a Great Day Cuz ! :-)

[Cryingkate]

Opps ! forgot to mention my Scottish and Irish roots my French married into :-)

[Bright Ocean Star]

Yes! That would be amazing, wouldn't it? I live amongst the Acadian descendents in Cajun Country. Isn't that funny?! So good to find you. I will definitely message you after dinner!

[Cryingkate]

Amazing ! i agree,
Don't wait up for a reply tonight. I'm going to bed soon, However I rarely sleep too long.
I will look for you when i awake.
I'm setting my mind to dream about this old house. I hope to see what I find in my dreams.
I hope it's not gonna be a nightmare LoL

[Cryingkate]

We even share family photos. Absolutely amazing.

[Bright Ocean Star]

What?! Kate, show me!

[Bluefire]

I like how you compare the escalation of a house's life to the decomposition of a rose.
I like the hundreds of years of history considered also.
Well played, very dark and lovely.

[Bright Ocean Star]

Thank you, Bluefire. I'm sorry it has taken me so long to respond to your review. I thought I left a response weeks ago. I don't do dark very often, but this house has a long, dark and lonely history. Bless you for stopping in to read my work. So good to see you here!

[Bluefire]

You're welcome

[Coyote Poetry]

I enjoyed the description in the poetry. Made the old house look sad and alone. You create lonely place and forgotten memories. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[Bright Ocean Star]

Thank you for dropping in to read and review it. I appreciate your opinion. It is nice to see you here again.

[Coyote Poetry]

I will return and you are welcome.

[JoeM]

Thank you for the poem, I read it a few times and got into the mood of what you were giving us.

[Bright Ocean Star]

Thank you for dropping in Joe.