A place called home

by Frankie Ann Smythe

We spent all our lives learning to go, go, go
Away from a place called home.
We came and we went, we rode and we drove,
And we slept at a place called home.

When the people made roads—bigger and taller—
We felt oh-so-proud as we filled up those roads;
And we drove in style—higher, faster, farther
Away from a place called home.

The phones became smart; the phones became friends.
We held our phones close, but didn’t talk anymore.
The phones taught us well—how to scroll, scroll, scroll;
Were there people at a place called home?

Too busy to cook, we drove to a line
Away from a place called home.
We brought home the bags and passed out the food
When we drove to a place called home.

We sat in a room and we stared at our phones,
Following people we never would know;
Faces looking down, we bent our eyes low
When we came to a place called home.

We taught all our children how to go, go, go
Away from a place called home.
The sports and the groups and the things they should know
Kept them far from a place called home.

And then came the virus—the one on the news;
And the people who knew how to go, go and go
Were told it was time now to stop, stop, stop
And we stopped at a place called home.

We looked all around, not knowing what to do
As we stood at a place called home.
We picked up our laptops; we learned about Zoom
As we wondered at a place called home.

We had all these feelings, and we were afraid
As we listened from a place called home.
We learned how to rest and we learned how to pray
As we sheltered at a place called home.

We picked up our phones and we used them to talk
As we stayed at a place called home;
And through the smart phones, we laughed and we cried
As we talked from a place called home.

We stepped out our doors and we learned how to walk
On the streets near a place called home.
The neighbors walked dogs and they waved and they smiled
As we strolled near a place called home.

We sat on the porch and we heard the birds sing
While we lived at a place called home;
And the children, they learned how to play outside
And we smiled at a place called home.

The food wasn’t fancy, but it sure tasted good
Since we cooked at a place called home.
The eggs and the pancakes and the other things too
Fed us well at a place called home.

We turned off the news and we put down the phones
As we healed at a place called home.
We talked and we listened and we played some games too
And we remembered at a place called home.

And we took our time; we stopped all the rush,
Choosing peace at a place called home.
We took time to think, to reflect, to forgive
As we connected at a place called home.

We ate meals together; we held hands to pray
As we learned at a place called home.
We humbled our hearts and gave thanks for each day
And we loved at a place called home.