The Old Barn

Gray weathered boards turn their edges up

to the sun and rain.

The rusty red tin roof long ago

surrendered its hold on the barn.

Wind plays a lonely washboard tune

on the loose panels,

mourning the days when

the barn was young.

Once a farmer’s rough hands

hewed beams from trees

felled to clear the nearby fields.

Strong sons helped raise the barn.

They looked with pride on their labor.

In its youth, the barn held

promise of prosperity,

sheltering cattle and work horses,

hay and tobacco sticks.

The odor of decay

replaced the rich smell of manure

and freshly oiled leather.

Today, rotting harnesses, moldy hay,

and cobwebs greet the accidental visitor.

Marji Morris has been with Writers Bloc since its inception, around 20 years. Although no longer very active with the group, she led it for the first 15 years or so. "I used to write a lot of poetry. Then I gravitated to short fiction (including flash fiction) and from there to personal essays." Writers Bloc began as a journaling group. It gradually transitioned into a personal memoir group and then into a "whatever you like to write" group.  Currently, there are historians, novelists, poets, and essayists involved. Some are published writers and others are hobby writers.