Thursday photo prompt – Secrets #writephoto . 2

This  part  of  Sue Vincent‘s  Thursday photo prompt -Secrets #writephoto

 Use the image below to create a post on your own blog… poetry, prose, humour… light or dark, whatever you choose, by noon (GMT)  Wednesday 16th November and link back to this post with a pingback. Please make sure that the pingback works and if not, copy and paste your link into the comments section of Sue Vincent’s post.

Don’t forget to use the #writephoto hashtag in your title so your posts can be found.

You can find all last week’s entries in the round-up. Please visit and read the stories and poems and explore the sites of their writers.

Rules  and  pingback  here 

I keep  their  secrets.

 

I was not always as you see me now, decaying  old ready to take a final bow.

I was beautiful tall and strong , a stable bet to set your life upon.

It is cold at night and the wind finds my every crack

I tremble and shudder now as the tubes roll by on the nearby  track.

I brace myself against the traffic’s thunder,

Each day that passes the fact I still stand here  is a wonder.

I keep  their  secrets

I used  to hear  the  children sing

Families living in me weaved their lives.

The chime of doorbells as they’d ring.

As I stood there for them strong in their joys and strife.

I have seen babies born and babies die,

Mothers grieving, husbands turning a blind eye.

Birthdays, marriages, divorces all old hat, kindly couples happy in each others care

Evil bastards who knock their women flat out on the stair,

Or shout them down until they loose all hope

Weighted down with worries and too many children to cope.

I keep their  secrets

The birds are now happy in my rafters

Their cooing fills my rooms instead of laughter ,

It is still a happy sound not unlike the sound

Of children playing here there  and  all around.

I keep  their secrets

At night lovers climb through my open doors

They make love upon my dust floors

For them I am their only meeting place ,

For what ever reason they may have to hide their face.

I keep  their  secrets .

Drinkers also drug addicts too

They hide within my walls to do what they must do.

I am decaying crumbling away

I do not want to go nor yet do I want to stay.

Try me out I could be the best deal for you

If you build me up I shall protect you true.

I could be the canvas to build your life upon.

I could be rebuilt, decorated and glazed I could dance again to children’s song.

I will keep  your  secrets.