17 Years

Remember the time when we stole Tastykakes from the coat closet stash where mom
had hidden them?
Remember the time when we got out the Slip 'n Slide and turned the backyard
into a river?
17 Years in America, 17 Years in my parents house in Illinois.
17 Years in this neighborhood but one year from now they’ll forget that we were
ever here.
17 Years for a family who fought and forgot what they meant to each other.
17 Years and for what? For nothing, it’s gone, it was good but it’s gone.
Remember the roof where you dared me and one time I jumped off — barely even
limped at all.
Remember the nights in July? All the kids on Mckinley would play flashlight
freezetag.
Remember the porch where we used to go sit on Dad’s lap when there was a
thunderstorm?
Remember the love that we felt when we walked down the stairs on Christmas
Morning?
17 Years in America, 17 Years in my parents house in Illinois.
17 Years in this neighborhood but one year from now they’ll forget that we were
ever here.
17 Years for a family who fought and forgot what they meant to each other.
17 Years and for what? For nothing, it’s gone, it was good but it’s gone.
So now. ..
Bye bye to my bicycle, bye to my backyard, bye to my Basement.
Bye bye to one beautiful brother, they tell me we’re getting another.
Hello to my helicopter, cause I only fly from now on.
So goodbye to the ground, it’s been good to get to know you but I gotta get a
move on.
17 Years in America, 17 Years in my parents house in Illinois.
17 Years in this neighborhood but one year from now they’ll forget that we were
ever here.
17 Years for a family who fought and forgot what they meant to each other.
17 Years and for what? For nothing, it’s gone, it was good but it’s gone.
Gone.
Gone.
Gone.