My Old Wood Castle

They’re going to tear it down,
the old barn in our backyard,
because it’s too old
and it’s falling apart.
They’re not entirely wrong,
it is falling apart
and it is old,
but it never lost its beauty.
You can still jump from the window
and land on your feet.
You can still put your bike
in one of the little storage rooms.
You can still pull down the ladder
and climb to the second floor.
You can still watch the birds
as they build their nests.
You could still breathe the dust
and feel the wood.
They’ll never tear down
my memories of that beautiful,
wondrous castle
with my baby swing,
my bike and jump ropes,
my hula-hoops and stickers,
and my little old rocking chair.
They’ll never erase my handwriting,
written in colored chalk.
All they see is a junkyard
and all I see is a castle.