Germantown, Wi.

My home for 15 years.
A home flourishing with shouts of laughter,
a home joyously filled with six kids.
Until one day when it was just me—
left behind.

The summers filled with splashing and jumping into crystal clear waters,
spending weekends in the blazing sun.
A life of happiness and joy—
but slowly it got torn apart.
That happiness began to vanish before my eyes.

My home was filled with void.
Broken hearts lingering, unfulfilled promises,
and parents who grew apart.
This place no longer felt like home;
It was a home filled with the deceitful lies of my father.

My home was no longer happy.
No longer joyous.
Laughter turned to silent cries
and sunny days dreary and cold.
This place is no longer my home.

My home is here.
The home of a mother and daughter.
A home that is the most elegant shade of red.
A yard filled with breathtaking flowers:
faint fuschia,
wintery white,
pale pink,
and blueberry blue.
.
The mornings spent drinking hot coffee on the patio
watching the deer eat the glistening red apples dripping with dew.
My home echoes with laughter.
A home of love and support.
Summers spent kayaking in the clear waters;
laughing, eating, and making memories.
Nights spent watching our favorite crime TV shows
and days filled with adventure after adventure.
My home for one and a half years;

Hartland, Wi.