Mee Mee's Front Porch

I love to write. I write mostly poetry, but I do dabble in children’s stories, and short stories. Most of my poems deal with social, historical, and political issues.  The poem I would like to open my writing page with will perhaps explain why I decided to put front porch into the title of my blog.

The Front Porch

I often reflect on the days of youth

Sitting on the front porch with family

And evening company.

Time to la vielle

As was our local custom.

 

Just as the sun would begin to set

Towns people would drive by and stop

To gossip of happenings around the world

And around the town

 

Grown ups sat on swings, rockers, or even steps

We kids just sat on the hard wood porch

Meant to be seen and not heard

But we could hear

Whether spoken in English or French

we hung on every word

 

As the sun disappeared

Frogs croaked and grown-ups spoke

Crickets chirped and all slurped

The sweet lemonade that had been served

 

Nixon and Watergate

Potch, sheriff elected while serving time

Vietnam and marching protestors

The political speaking at the court house

Governor Jimmy Davis sang “You are My Sunshine”

 

Woodstock and Laugh-in

Those darn hippies

The sack of frogs Dad and Big Jim caught in the bayou

Amongst a country in turmoil

We found simplicity

 

Now I’m raising my children

Amongst a country in turmoil

But simplicity can no longer be found

Wish I had a front porch.

 

by Carla Arnouville

I guess you now know that I grew up  in the 60s and 70s.