What drama took place inside?

WHAT SECRETS DO YOU HIDE

 

Old house, what secrets do you hide

From dramas that took place inside?

 

There were births, deaths, and marriages

Within your structured frame,

Played out as fate would have it

In life’s exciting game.

 

Your walls shared joys and heartaches

As befits a house of years.

You heard melodies of laughter

And the anguish of tears.

 

You witnessed four generations

Descend from just two names,

With privy to their heritage

And to their growing pains.

 

What stories you could tell me now,

If it were not a task

That intellect would ridicule,

Though still I muse and ask – –

 

Old house, what secrets do you hide

From dramas that took place inside?

 

10/15/96          Phyllis DeWitt VanVleck

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Hidden Secrets

WHAT SECRETS DO YOU HIDE

 

Old house, what secrets do you hide

From dramas that took place inside?

 

There were births, deaths, and marriages

Within your structured frame,

Played out as fate would have it

In life’s exciting game.

 

Your walls shared joys and heartaches

As befits a house of years.

You heard melodies of laughter

And the anguish of tears.

 

You witnessed four generations

Descend from just two names,

With privy to their heritage

And to their growing pains.

 

What stories you could tell me now,

If it were not a task

That intellect would ridicule,

Though still I muse and ask – –

 

Old house, what secrets do you hide

From dramas that took place inside?

 

 

10/15/96          Phyllis DeWitt VanVleck

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Does your child have selective hearing?

    HE HEARD “THAT”

 

He doesn’t hear his Mother call

When he’s engrossed in play.

He doesn’t hear a thing she says,

Like, “Clean your room today.”

 

But when she whispers to his Dad,

“McDonald’s where we’ll eat,”

If he’s a block away he’ll come

Like fire’s at his feet.

 

When Mother asks, “Is homework done?”

Or, “Did you break this vase?”

It seems the child has gone stone-deaf.

No clue’s upon his face.

 

But when there’s secrets to be told

Mom hopes he has not heard,

His hearing is acute, of course,

He heard each whispered word.

 

When Mom commands, “Go wash your hands,”

Or, “Please pick up that mess,”

The fact of does he hear or not

Is anybody’s guess.

 

Then, rooms away, in muffled voice,

Are words , “The Ice Cream Store.”

His hearing’s back, I guarantee;

He’s waiting at the door.

 

 

8/20/93       Phyllis DeWitt VanVleck

 

5’th … Indiana NPD 1994

1’st … Arkansas NPD 1997

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