210 South Juniper Street

I was only four when I learned that it was my address.
It told others where our house was; how to find it.
They didn't know it housed us, I must confess.
We were a widow (grass) and five kids in it.

It was an era when women didn't divorce, but Mom did.
She also worked. I can see her drenched in sweat
pressing clothes with a mangle so she could feed each kid.
It was a hard life, but we never knew we were poor, don't fret!

The house was two stories tall with a great front porch
which was good to hide under when the high school
kids came by or on hot summers when the sun would scorch,
it was a dark sanctum that was nearly always cool.

I loved it then, cause Granpow and Grandnan lived in back.
On his knee was where I learned to out of his paper to read.
No matter how bad I'd been they both cut me slack.
And taught me to have pride in my every good deed.