Something happened to me in a barn when I was a small child
I don't remember much about it - just fleeing thoughts and vague feelings
The barn had no door or maybe the door was open
Perhaps I just couldn't see the door
I stood looking into the dark pit that was its inside
There was no light streaming through the darkness
Over the door someone had nailed turkey feet
They were yellowish orange in color with very sharp talons
A deep dread made me feel sick to my stomach
I remember crying "don't make me go inside"
I recall the fear I felt
The turkey feet - the smell of the dampness of its earthen floor
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Over the years I have often wondered what happened to me there
Perhaps I will never remember - I am not sure I want to
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A few years later my father had a large new barn built
It had a large airy loft where my sister and I often played
Peanuts were placed up there to dry before they were pulled off the vine
We would spend hours playing hide and seek and eating raw peanuts there
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I now have a fascination with barns
Each one seems to have its own story to tell
Over the years I have travel to many places taking photos of barns
Those pictures only tells half of the story
Who was the one that built it - what did they store inside its loft
Was the family happy - were their children safe
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Each time I discover a new barn in back of my mind I recall that old barn
with the turkey talons nailed over its door and the fear within its walls
Job 39:12
Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed,
and gather it into thy barn?
King James Version
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