There is a place in town, unbeknownst to most,
It lies among the fenced yard houses with their low-cut lawns,
Snakes past playgrounds, bus stops, neighborhood restaurants,
And a three-bay service station with four gas pumps and a tow truck out front.

Penny Lane is found down the road from a faded strip mall,
Bearing a canopy with standardized overhead signs,
There is an elementary school named for a decorated General,
And a grocery store with discount signs throughout the windows front.

This trail looms in quiet shade for most days longer,
The birds that perch there chirp in muted tones,
Its ground is muddy dark, even in dry summer weather,
With pits large enough to swallow a person whole.

The path is unsafe to travel on, for young kids and older,
Even if exploring it in groups, not just alone,
Those who trespass on it will be scarred and changed forever,
For its secret is protected by a mean, vengeful ghost.

Penny Lane is namesake for a young girl who once lived here,
She was first to stroll this path ages ago,
Her small steps shaped it with pain in a serpentine pattern,
The trees kept her secret with their branches hanging low.

Her years of wandering it have been long and unbearable,
No one stepped to save her from those arduous strolls,
Two steps forward, one back, tiny feet often fallen,
When she cried for help her calls were mummed.

Every pace she took was disturbed by bad intentions,
Actioned by the ones she trusted most,
Done in private, behind walls, with open curtains,
Secrets kept by fear and threats of loss.

Storm clouds or tears, no breaks, just constant agitation,
Danger looms relentless and so close,
Little girl, a woman, wife, and mother,
Stepping off the path is never done.

Little kids in homes that appear normal,
Basketball hoop in the driveway and a swing set in the yard,
But even though the drapes are kept wide open,
They hide the horrors taking place inside.

Trust and love, true warmth, are ever fleeting,
Glimpses on a screen you try to save,
Wishes never granted, just imagined,
Via Dolorosa looming right across the street.

July 19, 2021