The Original Living Forest

We could hear the train coming in the background-
For at this time, it was a dinstinctive sound.
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Just like the other sounds that we could hear all around-
The birds in the trees, and the other animals on the ground.
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Deer were plentiful, amongst the other animals that were seen-
The landscape itself, was a Heavenly scene.
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We could see the dirt road crossing over those railroad tracks that led to a special place-
A place where we could distinctively see Mama and Papa's face.
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We could smell the pine trees and all of the beautiful flowers-
Throughout this land, there were no large buildings or towers.
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Just a beautiful forest that was not well known-
A place that takes us back, before we were grown.
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Our place where we used our imaginations to pass the day through-
A simple life, without hurry, a blessed place to always come home to.
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A place in the world where we hunted and fished to our heart's content-
With our family and those before us, many generations were spent.
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Mama cooking dinner, and all of us kids, doing our chores before Papa came home-
All of our hopes and dreams had plenty of fresh air in which to roam.
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They say that time takes care of everything, but we know better-
Because our memory serves us well down to the very last letter.
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We remember walking up the road to see that train close-
Getting our feet muddy, not thinking it was gross.
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Enjoying nature as it was meant to be-
Taking in every living thing, every blade of grass, and every tree.
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They say that the entrance of this road, through the years
has needed improvement, for those who later moved in-
But we remember, how it used to be, in the old days, way back when.
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No improvements, back then, were needed for it looked as beautiful as God had intended it to be-
The "original" living forest situated at Old Hwy 59 and what is now Northpark, that stood proudly in East Montgomery County.
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Even as the trees have been thinned, and the traffic flies by on this paved road, that we remember as either being dusty or muddy, from a long time ago-
We want to preserve our memories, to a slower time, a time when things were still enough, to hear that train whistle blow.

(For the original families who were fortunate to remember and enjoy this land, as it used to be.)

Mary Elizabeth Rumsey