The Front Porch

We are talking about a time, a time long ago,                                                                      Happy places, happy faces, things went slow.                                                                  Folks strolling along down the sidewalk,                                                                        Always stopping with their neighbors to talk. 

Listen to the children’s laughter in the air,                                                                      Up and down each street, they were everywhere.                                                            The sound of a ball hitting hard off the bat,                                                                    The thump of roller skates over each crack. 

The enjoyment of a front yard is a thing of the past,                                                                     Back then you’d hear father’s yelling, get off the grass!                                           Lemonade stands and croquet sets ready to go,                                                          Now the front yard is just something you mow. 

The very best thing was the front porch time we spent,                                        After work, after school, after dinner, their we went.                                              Parents sitting on porch swings and in the wicker chairs                                                    Children hanging on the rails and sitting on the stairs. 

Young and old gathered on the porch summer nights,                                            Drinking ice tea while chatting about the days news.                                                  Lingering on until aglow became all the street lights,                                               Walking back home feeling no better life could they choose.
 
The best thing I remember about our front porch I'd say,                                            On rainy days when we couldn’t go out in the yard to play,                                     Mother would make oatmeal cookies and call all our friends,                              Checkers and marbles would be games played till the days end. 

Author Eileen Clark~ 2012                                                                                

Image: People sitting on the front porch in the 1950’s

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