GONE

Gone are the toys, gone are the joys,

Gone is the little girl, gone are the little boys,

Now a memory, memories, sweet memories

Gone are the trees that shaded the ground,

Now a carpet of grass abounds

Gone are those that lived off the land,

Now new folks live where natives once ran

Gone are the fields of peas and corn,

Now a place where memories are born

Gone are the toys, gone are the joys,

Gone is the little girl, gone are the little boys,

Now a memory, memories, sweet memories

Gone are the voices of children so tender,

Now just thoughts of their playing linger

Gone are sounds of their big wheels on concrete

Now scarred that sidewalk is silently discreet

Gone are tree houses and swings,

Now grow vines, bushes, and other things

Gone are the toys, gone are the joys,

Gone is the little girl, gone are the little boys,

Now a memory, memories, sweet memories

Gone is a three-year-old, who learned to ride,

Now an empty hillside is all that resides

Gone, the noise of three children at play,

Now all is silent as when it is time to pray

Gone, gone, gone, gone,

Now an old man sits alone

Gone are the toys, gone are the joys,

Gone is the little girl, gone are the little boys,

Now a memory, memories, sweet memories

Gone, gone, the passing of time,

Now memories put to rhyme

Gone, gone the sin of the poet of grey,

Now thankful God washed sin away

Gone, gone as far as the east from the west,

Now sinful memories put to rest

Gone are the toys, gone are the joys,

Gone is the little girl, gone are the little boys,

Now a memory, memories, sweet memories

Gone from porch swing is the old man,

Now realizing before God he will stand

Gone, gone sins his sin washed away,

Now Jesus our sin did pay

Gone, gone in the passing of time,

Now remembered in simple rhyme

Gone are toys, gone are the joys,

Gone is the little girl, gone are the little boys,

Now a memory, memories, sweet memories

Gone one day the things of earth,

Now in heaven those of second birth

Gone to the Father one by one,

Now that eternal life has just begun

Gone, gone, gone away

Now with Jesus everyday

Gone are the toys, gone are the joys

Gone is the little girl, gone are the little boys

Now a memory, memories, sweet memories

Bobby E. Hopper

February 19, 2010

(Sitting on the front porch swing at Sugar Ridge)

On July 14, 2012 the front porch swing, as well as the house, completely burned.