Autumn The Preserver

Autumn was a young girl

But within her lived an old soul,

A virtuous trait beautiful as a pearl,

She mustered up everything for her goal.

Her home was modest but small,

The same as the others on the street,

An occasional house would stand tall,

But overall the neighborhood was sweet.

But as life goes, time passed on,

People wanted bigger, better!

This grew a phenomenon

That would upset her.

There was seldom a week

Without a house knocked down

To build one with better physique

To better the look of the town.

‘What happened to the neighborhood’s charm?’

She asked with a heavy heart.

The houses prior were cozy and warm

But the builders tore these homes apart.

She decided to protest,

She would write a letter every day

To pass her idea for a quest

To let the small home charm stay.

‘You’re small and know nothing!’

The boardees would cry,

But there had to be something,

The end was not nigh!

She decided to spread the word

To get the support she needed,

But everyone thought she was absurd

No matter how much she pleaded.

‘No matter,’ she thought to herself,

I’m strong enough alone!

She was not a wee little elf,

She was powerful to the bone.

She went to the hardware store

And gather about a few chains;

She felt inside her confidence soar,

Stronger than the force of a bullet train.

She would stop them in their tracks,

Protest her love for the old,

No matter who had turned their backs

Her heart remained pure and gold.

She arrived onto the newest site

Where the old house would be knocked down,

She prepared for her first fight,

She would never display a frown.

She locked the chains tight

Around herself and the fence,

The builders came to fight

They’re face shroud and tense.

‘Move, little girl!’ They would cry

Yanking the chains with no avail,

‘The reason I’m here you don’t ask why,

And I may be little but I’m not frail!’

She stayed where she was

And ignored their shouts and smiled

They finally stopped and took a pause,

They began to think she was wild.

‘This house is fine the way it is,

Just an internal upgrade or two is needed!’

‘We have to do it, Ms.’

They said as she pleaded.

She shook her head with all her might,

She was not going anywhere!

She would do nothing but fight

Until she with the men had gotten somewhere.

‘Fine,’ the men said as time dragged on,

We’ll pause for now,

But you need to be gone!’

They said, in response she raised her eyebrow.

‘Go to the town council,’

They explained to make it more clear,

‘Tell them you concerns,

Now go, get out of here!’

Autumn gave the biggest smile

And undid the tight chains,

She ran downtown for a mile

For once she held control, the reigns!

She went into the town hall

And sat in the lobby in wait,

She thought of her plan while she stared at the wall,

She would have them convinced, check mate.

It was her turn and she entered the room

A kind looking man shook her hand.

‘You’re the girl who made the builders fume,

Tell me why so I can understand!’

‘I keep seeing the old houses knocked down,

Not valued for their true worth

It’s taking the charm from this town,

All for the rich man’s mirth!

I’m tired of saying goodbye

To the neighborhood I’ve grown to love,

I decided to not be shy

Against this crime I would speak of!

Please sir, I beg

For you to kindly understand

These homes stand as the leg

That makes this town grand!’

The man sat and thought for a while,

For the girl spoke a valid truth,

This girl had faced a difficult trial,

So wise despite being a youth!

‘I think that you are right,’

The man conceded,

‘A new town law I will write,

Stopping these monster homes is just what we needed!

That final home where you were

Will be that last one to go down,

I’ll gather the builders and confer

To explain the best interest for this town.’

Autumn hugged the man and was so grateful,

She had stuck to her fight and got what she wanted!

She attempted a task that gave her a plateful

But there would be no failure to leave her haunted!

She continued to love the town as she got old,

No more houses had lost their charm

And the town was more valuable than gold.

Her success left her heart warm.