An Ode to a Home - a poem by Rebecca Taron McKay
It doesn’t matter how old you turn
It’s where you first learned
It’s haunting, it’s shattering
To hear it’s all burned
Beyond just windows and walls
It’s where you first crawled
A house, a home
It saw you become grown
It keeps its front light on
Reflecting a path along the lawn
That light always shining from afar
No matter where in the world you are
But it looks different tonight
Something’s not quite right
That light’s warm glow
It’s beginning to grow
It’s dancing on the trees
It will take you to your knees
Blazing down, it illuminates the town
There’s nothing they can do now
Hold your breath
Like you never left
Close your eyes
You’re not ready for goodbyes
In the shadow of Raft Peak
It can no longer speak
Seized by the earth from once it came
Only memories are what remain
To ashes, to dust
It’s just so unjust
Flickering between anger and sorrow
Which one will it be tomorrow?
This can’t be real
Just one last Christmas meal?
This can’t be forever
What is left to treasure?
That front light no longer shining
In darkness you search for a silver lining
No one is harmed, everyone is safe
To new beginnings, you have faith