Written by Penny. D. Cobb-Jones Class of 1981
Those were the Days…
Playing HOP Scotch "Mama May I" Red Light
Hide n Go Seek Pick Up Sticks
Watching Papa Robinson eat his favorites;
Fig Newtons..
Aunt Josie saying "Leave those biddies alone"!
Marbles and Hand Jive
Simone Says Swing Sets
Making Home Made Vanilla Ice Cream
and Mud Pies
Aunt Priscilla so pretty
On Hot Summer Days
churning by hand In the shade
Of the Old Magnolia
Aged; Yet solidly rooted
fascinated as a child at the rock salt
and the salt from the mud on my hands
Gently tasting it from time to time
Red Clay Dirt Roads and Dirt Piles
Riding my bike for miles
passing wild flowers Catching Butterflies
Coreopsis on Ferris Hill Honey Suckle in Bagdad
Dogwood in Patterson Town and Poison Ivy Cross the River
From East Milton to Whiting Field
Pig Pens and Chicken Coops
Caterpillars and Turtles
Fields of Flowers; Rainbow Colors..
Bumble Bees Buzzing Red Ant Beds
Playing till the Sun went down
Chasing Fireflies
In the House before Dark
Looking out my window peeking at the Stars
Pitch Black Nights
Laying in the grass staring at the summer sky
Translating the pictures in the clouds
Jumping Rope and Hula Hoops
Pogo Sicks and YoYo's
Daddy Long Legs and Horse Flies
Picking Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries and telling little lies
Picking Persimmons off Johnson Road
Running through the water hose!
Mist within the Air
Starring at the "Elephant Ears"
School Plays Not wanting nothing less than an "A"
Hot Summer Days Beach on 4th of July
Chek Sodas and bar-B-Que
Giggling at the Grown Folks dancing
Marvin Gaye's Playing;"What's going on",
Bringing Moonshine cross county lines; Santa Rosa
Got my First Kiss as Reason's played in the background; Victor
Blushing..Courting. kissing
Little Notes "DO YOU LOVE ME?
Check the box Yes or No"
Waiting by the mailbox
For Love letters written by hand
Holding on to every word in every line
Dancing upon the page
soppin' Cane Syrup with white bread
Fried Catfish Fish, Grits and Lemonade
Watermelon and The Big Show playing
Pretending to be on T.V.; Soul Train
St.John Divine on Sunday Morning
WildKingdomon Sunday evening
J.J.Walker and Thelma
Enchanted by Diane Carroll
Penny Candy
Selling Coke bottles Red Wagon Hauling
Wigglers on Fish Lines Catching Brim and Mullet
By the Boondocks of Black Water River
Murky…Still we wade in the waters
Cobwebs and cornbread
Thoughts fleeting Sometimes
Like Jig Saw Puzzles in my mind
Patches of memories
Reminiscing on Old Times
For Those were the days…
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Ode to Milton Florida Santa Rosa County