Slowami Poety

...I STAND, WHERE I HAVE STOOD BEFORE

THE SAME ROOF IS ABOVE ME,

BUT THEY, WHO WERE, ARE HERE NO MORE,

FOR ME TO LOVE.

I LISTEN, AND I SEEM TO HEAR

A FAVORITE VOICE TO GREET ME,

BUT YET I KNOW THAT NONE ARE NEAR,

SAVE STRANGER FORMS, TO MEET ME.

I'LL SIT ME DOWN, FOR I HAVE NOT

SAT HERE SINCE FIRST I STARTED

TO RUN LIFES' RACE - AND ON THIS SPOT

WILL MUSE OF THE DEPARTED...

THEN I WAS YOUNG AND ON MY BROW

THE RAYS OF HOPE WERE SHINING,

BUT TIME HATH THERE HIS IMPRINT NOW

THAT TELLS OF LIFE'S DECLINING.

ONE LAST, LAST LOOK - MY OLD, OLD HOME!

ONE MEMORY MORE OF CHILDHOOD!

I'LL NOT FORGET WHERE'ER I ROAM,

THIS HOMESTAD AND THE WILD-WOOD.

EXERPT FROM "THE HOMESTAD VISIT"

BY  JOHN S.ADAMS, 1855