Walked The Streets Poem by John A'Hern

I walked a street, so familiar it seemed,
Row upon row of terraced homes
Stood so gallantly.
Left and right I cast my head,
Memories all around.
Children's voices, bright and loud
Filled the evening air.
Smiling within, my walk continued,
Nods saying how are you everywhere.
A front door opened as if to say hello,
No one there inside the open door,
I stepped inside nothing to fear.
An empty porch a passageway
So, dark inside a midnight glow.
I walked the passageway as if on air,
Doors to left and right.
Reached the end of darkened passageway
Still no sign of anyone inside.
Faces appeared as if floating on air,
My children's images as clear as if it was day.
I reached to touch but just felt emptiness,
The faces reappeared repeatedly.
Then the face of my long-lost love,
Tears came to my eyes.
The face it flowed towards me,
floated through my soul.
I turned to look where it had gone,
Nothing but darkness there.
I fell to my knees,
Holding my hands over my face.
A voice brought me back,
Can I help you there young man?
Young, I wish I could have been,
I was in fact eighty four.
Someone, something, helped me to my feet,
Led me back through the passageway
Out into the bright street.
The door it closed,
I looked around no street no homes,
Just me standing on hallowed ground.