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.
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