My Place

A place called Yesterday…
where more and more of those
who grew up with me, now
have come to live. It’s there
my sturdy house stands proudly still.
My father spawned it after WWII
of Northwest Douglas-fir,
much like the tyke he planted
way up on the Heights
called Roosevelt, some time
near 1930 – looming now
more than 200 feet above
the sidewalk he initialed.

It is crumbling now, perhaps
to tumble down into the broad
Puyallup Valley, stopping by
to visit Western Washington State Fair
if anyone is there, continue
down the River to the Puget Sound.
That's where we'd visit sometimes
on brisk summer days, go through the old
aquarium, which now is gone,
replaced by one that’s beautiful
but not as welcoming
as that of yore had been.

The Point Defiance Park and Zoo
remind me still that it’s okay
to stand defying all who come
to visit my old house... then say,
"Come in."
Its nails and bolts, now 65 years old
hold it together fast. It’s slow
to moan, but does complain
when winter winds blow hard.
It sways, as if reminded
of some dark or precious thing it hid…
long-since forgotten, now recalled
in tears it daubs, if awkwardly
as quickly as it can.

Whatever hinges that can move
at all, now creak, protesting
every opening, though welcoming
each guest – a wink where once
a smile lit up some room;
now shaded windows let in
little light through pitted panes
that sag, distorting images
of evergreens, whose scents
stretch hard to overpower
the must that age has left.

© MLee Dickens'son 2011

Hi Daniel,

I believe one can comment now on Odin's poems, since many months have passed.

I read yours the other day, but spent so much time on the links you provided, that I had to run off to bed!

I mean it, you allowed me a most interesting adventure in Washington State. I was hooked on all of the links for quite a while. Fact is, my daughter-in-law and her hubby live in Spokane, so I visited them twice, ever so long ago, along with my husband Carlos, who died 2 years ago. Brought back all sorts of lovely memories. We also stayed a couple of days in Seattle. Except for the climate, I would love to live there. So thanks for that, Daniel!

I visited Spokane once in the summer, and then again in winter, when it was covered in snow. The bus trip from Seattle to Spokane, during a moonlit night, was stunning. We stopped somewhere on the mountains to have coffee and pancakes. The place was full of rednecks having their beers, but we were welcomed nicely... LOL.

Back to your poem, I really don't know whether anybody has read it, but I think it's fantastic. Rather sad, at the end. I feel I can picture your old home perfectly. Is it still there? Is it the one you've been working on? Just curious...

I really think you should move it over to Seren's for others to enjoy. It's a treat to read it. There's a little more activity over there now. Please do.

Cheers, Syl

Hi Daniel,
Great poem, first of all. Really love it. It has music, perhaps because you write sonnets, not FV. I wish you'd write some FV for Seren's. That forum needs more posts!

That said, I received your PM about 3 days ago. I tried to figure out what archives you are referring to, but have no idea. I simply scrolled down and see that your poem is in place, as it always was. I'm not interested in ancient Archives, like the ones "down under" somewhere. Never visit them, but now that you've mentioned archives, perhaps I will. There are some that belong to members who abandoned MM ages ago. Shall take a peek.

So I'm, err... flummoxed. LOL.

BTW, I'm answering your PM here because some things are not working well at MM. I was unable to send my reply to your PM. A large blank space appears and doesn't allow me to hit Send. The platform needs some fixes.

Lori has told me that she's also had trouble accessing some forums.
OK, I hope this reply gets posted.
Best, as well as congratulations for this highly interesting poem.
Syl

Well, I found my answer, Daniel, so I've posted it again. It's ended up in a new thread, don't know how to fix that.

No sign of your poem anywhere else, must be off to bed now,
Best, Syl
PS: I'm really tired of being the only Mod around. I know that Eisa has not been well, but surely the whole lot can't be AWOL. Sad. I have Fibromyalgia and MCS, but despite the sharp pain and discomfort, I find poetry websites very enjoyable as well as therapeutical. Bye again!
PS2: I shall have to click on the links in your poem again, I remember I had a great time, tx for that!