Old Neighborhood

                   "Old Neighborhood"


Dress-ups, small China dishes,
         and acting in plays we made.
Blanket tents over a clothes line,
         oh, what a wonderful time!
Created a circus,
         and even a neighborhood parade.
Monopoly and card games,
         playing in empty lots,
                   sidewalk skates,
                             and tending to tiny tots.
Sucking on dill pickles,
         eating ice cream cones,
                   kool-aid we sold,
and all that summer fun such.
Hop Scotch,
         bicycle races,
                   and rides to faraway places
(around the block).
Water fights,
         flashlights,
                   on dark muggy nights
we played tag.
Splashing in the rain,
         soaked until our clothes sagged.
Building forts,
         green apple and purple plum stealing,
                   rolling in cardboard boxes
down a steep hill was daring.
Chasing lightning bugs in nighttime breeze,
         eating lemons while reading under shady trees.
Summer sports;
playing ball,
         tree climbing,
                   and challenging a game of jacks,
were my favorites of all.
Jump ropes,
         hoolahoops were so nifty,
                   and dancing in the streets,
to the music of the 50's.

Remembering all that was good,
going back to the old neighborhood.