The soul is healed by being with children. 
Fyodor Dostoevsky


Left and Found

A doll’s sock in the pantry;

Handprints on the windows;

A toy car parked in the hall;

Jigsaw puzzles scattered;

Books, and more books;

Sippy cups fill the sink;

A finished tic-tac-toe grid;

Pool floats and beach toys;

Seashells drying in the sun;

Squeals of laughter and

“Here I come, ready or not,”

echo in empty rooms;
Cracker crumbs on the lanai;

A drawing of a manatee,

signed, I will miss you, Grace B;

The grandkids were here;

leaving a Hansel and Gretel trail,  

strewn across my heart.