"Halloween of the Past""
I remember going Trick or Treating every night of the week,
when the month of October was in the beginning of it's peak.
We frantically searched our parents' closet, their most personal unmentionable drawers,
in the hopes of finding old hats, suit jackets, well, anything we thought
might be of use, with the excitement of possibly finding more.
The most guarded secret, a previous discovery, our mothers’ sexy nylon stockings would tightly stretch down over our heads and horribly distort our faces,
and even though we had difficulty talking, seeing, oh well, our identities would leave no traces.
The late 50's, early 60's, those were the best of the best Halloween times,
and even an occasional ""Old Time Outhouse,"" still, we could find.
With my mention of an "Old Outhouse," mischievous deeds do not at all apply to us.
Our parents, on the other hand, turned over operational outhouses, back in the 20's and the 30's,
but of course, those were only stories and never did they confess.
Then our parents forbid our removal of the single bathroom toilet paper,
so we would sneak out bars of soap with that familiar Life Boy invigorating vapor.
We were somewhat naughty brats at Halloween time,
running all the small city streets like organized partners in crime.
We laughed and giggled through out the dark and scary night,
until, out of the darkness, some older boys scared us,
BOO, BOO, they were all dressed in white.
We already knew, by our many years of Trick or Treating, the very best locations for scrumptious homemade treats.
We quickly ran as fast as we could, to be the first, to the well known
homes on many familiar streets.
We packed in candy, homemade popcorn balls, cookies, and occasionally, even a little loose change,
and never, never to fear our loot was given by anyone deranged.
We immediately gobbled our fresh goodies since we already knew,the store bought candy,few coins and miscellaneous goods should,
more than last until Christmas, as our parents made it very clear, it certainly would.
I often think back to those great long ago Trick or Treating times,
comparing it to now, when we have to inspect every piece of candy, even a single dime.
I burned the midnight oil designing a few costumes for my two kids,
but, to my surprise, still they wanted to buy the popular costumes instead.
During the 70's, 80's, Trick or Treating had changed in our small town,
I walked, the designated scheduled night and time, with my 2 kids as they went down one block and then back around.
During the month of October, a special fond memory will always come to mind,
when my late daughter,took first place in the Halloween Parade, wearing proudly the Strawberry Shortcake costume I had carefully designed.
If only I could turn back the hands of time for just awhile,
to be with my son and late daughter, experience Trick or Treating,
and again see their young faces, both with a big smile.
Of course, Trick or Treating with my kids was not
always so much fun.
The bickering, my daughter accidentally, so she said, stepped on her brother’s extra long tails of his
Black Velvet Dracula Cape, WOW, the fighting had just begun.
Living without our daughter, the change of seasons, never to be the same.
Even as an adult, she loved Halloween and the Trick or Treating Game.
I am saddened as my grown son and I select a particular "SAFE" street,
so his kids, my gorgeous grandchildren, can safely Trick or Treat.
But my memories still go back to that long ago Halloween,
Trick or Treating, in the 50's, 60's, now that I think about it, we really were not all that mean.
We, as kids, had never heard the term, street drugs, now common drugs of today.
We only knew about the white pills, Aspirin, Anacin, that would take our parents' headaches away.
As I reminisce back to Halloween, the candle lit Jack O Lanterns and frosty chill in the air.
I miss my daughter so much and losing her, still, is so very unfair.
The colorful beauty of Autumn was her favorite time of year.
I can't help, as Summer moves into Autumn, but cry for her, a river of tears.
I truly had difficulty pulling together 4 generations,
the 20's and 30's, the 50's and 60's,
my own kids' fun of the 70's, 80's,
then lastly, my
grandchildren of the 2,000's, these times of Halloween's
Trick or Treat,
but memories of long ago years prepared the way for me, this poem now complete.
In Memory of Halloween Past
and
In Memory of Kanda Michelle Jacobs
Written by Dianna Jacobs
2008
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