The corner store

groceries and meat

butcher behind the counter

working away cutting steaks

the owner up at the checkout

only 3 registers

wife on #2

the kids stocking shelves

carrying out groceries

they lived upstairs

and were always there

worked everyday except Sunday

the whole family working together

friendly and kind and industrious

the corner Red & White

with green stamps and brown paper sacks

and very personal service

they were part of the family

we knew all of them by first name

and shared the news and the gossip

dad charged the groceries

paid up on payday

the corner store hung on

as long as it could

until the big box stores

put them out of business

and so the corner store

the hub of the community

the neighborhood center

slowly died and finally closed

unable to keep up

aisles empty

windows blacked out

the building empty and abandoned

a sense of loss when you drive by

the corner store gone

replaced only with regret

people no longer know their grocer

and sadly

no longer know their neighbors.