I stared at the map that had 
stayed the same, but I somehow 
Watched home disappear.
Time does tend to erode
The essence of such things.
Leaving only land untouched as 
Memory and heart and home
Fight for survival among lines
On a wrinkled canvas.

Removing pins that held space
For places no longer recognized
Beyond a shattered foundation
And crumbling structure.
The geography I memorized and key 
Long-since decoded rolled up 
And put away, unneeded, unwanted.
Fading memories of a time whence
Love abounded.

Alas, home is the echo of trust
And trust had all but gone silent.
The comfort yearned for by a 
Heart and a body and a soul
Lost in undiscovered, unmapped
Places. Seemingly unreachable 
In this life, or any other.
The map I had scoured could
Not lead me past its borders.

Oh, how the world has grown!
The map only changing to include
More lines, more keys, but never 
Fully guiding me home; never 
Fully encompassing the world
Beneath our feet. No, 
That’s left to children with 
Imagination and adults with
Memories.
 
Thus, the stairs creak and  
My feet stumble as fresh 
Footprints follow my abandon. 
A trash bin thunders as it 
Closes its maw around a canvas
Map gently laid inside. One
Lonely tear rolling down my cheek
Confirming what I had 
Already known. 

The map had stayed true,
But home was gone.