These Familiar Walls Poem by Paul Reed

These familiar walls
That listened to the story of our lives,
Seen the glorious triumphs
The sad and sorry nosedives,

And watched so patiently
As we made all our trite mistakes
Jumped for unembarrassed joy
And suffered the sad heartaches;

Unflinchingly took the pins
That hung treasures of yesterdays
The drawings and the scribblings
Of such lovely immature ways,

Stood proudly over the mantle
Bedecked with memories in frames
The glorious sunny days of childhood,
The laughter and the games;

Never again will we be able
To taste undiluted life so pure,
Or suffer the trials and tests
That the spirit has to endure,

Never again will we be able
To live those second days of youth,
Never again will we be able
To so fervently seek the truth