Sandy was the old man's name,
A bachelor by design
His life it seemed, at least to us
A lovely paradigm

His life at peace with years
He eked a living from the earth
And Kelligrews his heartfelt home
With no regrets or tears

His kindly features never changed
Nor did his softened speech
We looked on him as father time
But still within our reach

To kids at that impressioned age
He seemed a timeless sage
And we would hang on every word
As if we were on stage

His rounded face was tanned and creased
His laughing eyes did grace
Beneath two white and bushy brows
A smile on that kind face

And Sandy's place meant summer fun
Away from dreary city toil
And now sweet thoughts come flooding back
Which time will never spoil

Of Sandy's twinkling eyes and face
His way with kids that came
To spend a summer at his place
And make his life a joyous game

Of Sandy's home, a side-by-side
Of square dimension, colour cream
With lilac trees in full display
Inside a picketed front yard dream

Of Sandy's 'tater cellar deep
Inside a hill so damp and drear
Where magic sprouts would issue forth
A prelude to a crop-filled year

Of barn out back of ochre red
With stalls and things one's interest peak
And hay-filled loft with magic smells
Where kids could play at hide and seek

Of sun-filled days spent in the fields
Turning hay with fork and rake
To leave in ordered mows the spoils
Of summer's golden harvest take

I drove by there the other day
There's nothing to be seen
Of things that were so vividly
Part of my childhood dream

For Sandy Snow has long since gone
His banner carefully furled
But left fond memories deep inside
Those kids who shared his world
  Submitted By: John Cornick