| Show PROGRESS ORDERED OUR HOUSE FOR LUNCH Bonny Nielson Dahlsrud Box 195 Salina Utah 84654 Non-Professional Division First Place Personal Recollection Tie The old house is coming down today the shingles beanms and all Itcalled progress --at least the construction men sald it was m not so surelike progress It takes huge bites and slowly chews with its mouth open wide so all can see This house has beenhome With rocking chairs and double beds andvarnished dining table withlarge leaf for the grandkids We even carpeted the stairs last fall inshagged mossy green that buries bare toes and cushions tired feet Baby Anne likes to bounce down those steps onpillowed diaper She ll miss this house unless shetoo young to remember m mot too young wonforget anything about it Not even the cellar windows cobwebbed and smudged with coal dust The small windowcracked and hashole from the neighbor boyBB gun never liked that show-off kid He hadstrawberry cowlick and big yellow teeth Heaway at college now he doesnknow our house is coming down or how hungry progress is An office building with cedar walls will crowd out our kitchen It wonsmell like oatmeal cake or dumpling stew again Instead you ll smell fat leather chairs that still squeak from belng new andsecretarymusk perfume that doesnblend well with leather The clank of typewriter keys and telephone talk will replace baconsizzle the stean whistling from the old teapot and the snap of fresh green beans There ll be ball-point pens instead of forks in the drawers For progress devours all and never stops to wipe its mouth The closet wherekept my thoughts and matchbox cars will go My Tarzan tree and pirate nook will be lapped up along with our rock garden And progress will lick up my own name scrawled in cement beneath the basketbsll net Source Author reflections hood home torn down -85 while seeing an old neighbor |
