Ruin Down House

Today I passed a ruin down house.
Windows were broken out.
Grass had grown two inches or more.
Yard full of trash and other debris.

I could only imagine a young woman
hanging curtains to those windows.
A small child peeking through them.
A man painting the walls and stepping
back to admire his handy work.

This ruin down house once knew laughter.
The grass was regularly cut.
The front and back yard were once clean
of debris.
Children often played out front and back.

This ruin down house once knew joy.
This house once knew peace.
This ruin down house once knew love.
Where had they gone.

Someone sat on the porch and read
the Bible and novels.
Someone sat on the steps and dreamed
of tomorrow.
This ruin down house was loved by a
family that is now gone.
Where have they gone?
This ruin down house now stands alone and lonely.