I know all of the family secrets
For I have had each member inside more than once
I may be an ancient house,
But I remember the memories of their ancestry
This will be my last night here
On this forlorn, empty lot
As lightning snaps outside
I remember thoughts of old
Imagine the voices of the past
Thunder shakes the earth with its mighty boom
While I gather thoughts of proposals, heartbreaks, and death
There is no one here to remember these things with me
The family has all but died
And I've finally been given up on
My walls are peeling with coats of paint
Carpets shaggy and uncared for
The hard wood floors that so many children enjoyed playing on are nothing but rotten planks
And the once beautiful bay windows are now cracked and sorrowful
The wind outside toys with the broken door
Creak groan thump
As the door bangs against my side,
I collect sights from the far reaches of time
I can almost hear the laughter of a Christmas morning
Nearly smell the liquor on adults' angry breath after a funeral
Yet tomorrow I will no longer exist
I'll become another wrecked house
My memories of our wonderful family will be no more
Because of this, I must revisit the past quickly
The storm may be well underway but the destroyers will not stay absent
Hastily I conjure memories of each member
Of their moments of joy and the terrible heartbreaks that took place
So many people, so little time
And so much difference between each generation
Yet I loved each one and I protected them
A roar suddenly sounds from the lot outside
And I feel a terrible ripping sensation along the dinning room wall
I abruptly realize that I will be gone within a matter of minutes
But I am glad that I've gotten to know this family,
For they brought many pleasures and pain to me
Feelings that I couldn't have possibly felt with someone else
I'm thankful that I was able to relive those past years
Before my family took care for me for the last time
