tall stone walls, haloed by the sun
roofless, yet standing stoutly
foot thick walls, defying the elements…
through the clouds, the colors of the sunset
change cold gray stone to a rose tint…
a thicket of lilacs enshroud one corner
their scent wafting gently by, in the breeze…
laughter, song, and friends
once filled the empty walls
a place to meet at the end of the day
to toast the good things
and mellow the harsh reality of life…
the tavern once saw many
come striding through its doors
while horses patiently waited
to bring their masters home…
100 years ago, candle light shone from within
the fire at the hearth warmed many
as it crackled merrily…
few living can still remember
the day it closed its doors
to become the tall stark ruin
which now stands alone
roofless and empty
a reminder of a time
long, long ago…
jsburl, MFA is a hemorrhagic stroke survivor who lives in Northern NY. She loves her family, the mountains, gardening, crocheting, writing poetry and stories, oil painting, dragons, and animals large and small. She lives with her dog Tippy, and has just finished her master’s degree in Creative Writing. She was inducted into Sigma Tau Delta International English Society, and The National Society of Leadership and Success. She has been a journalist and won state and US competitions, and has a children’s book slated for release in May/June of 2023. The stroke took her mobility, but not her creativity. Her favorite thing to tell people is “Make every day an extraordinary day.”