There's a little white building at the end of the lane,
Once so alive, now it stands alone so cold and so plain.
Its the little country store, where we all loved to go,
With the sweetest old lady to greet you her face all aglow.

Always making you feel welcome with a hello and friendly smile,
She seemed to really enjoy the times we stopped in for awhile.
And the old wooden bench on the porch was such a welcome retreat,
As a moment of relief from the fields and the hot summer heat

In the winters an old pot bellied stove kept the place so warm,
Where the farmers might gather to escape a coming winter storm.
Speculating on their crops of corn and wheat in the spring,
And the bounty of crops they hoped next season would bring.

Behind an old scarred counter, with maybe an old wooden keg,
Salt fish in a barrel, sauerkraut, and beans and local hen eggs.
We might grab a bottle of coke, maybe a few crackers and cheese,
Spending the evening rewinding the days work or whatever we pleased.

Too soon the sweet lady was called away to her heavenly home above,
Leaving no one to take her place in the store she so dearly loved.
The old stove burns no more, boards cover the windows and door,
Leaving us only with our memories, of the Little Country Store.

   John T. Smith  of  Heavens Gates
©2008
Used With Permission
All Rights Reserved

Website ~ Heavens Gates

In the small community where I live (Hermitage, Virginia)
tucked away in a beautiful valley of the Blue Ridge mountains,
we have no modern stores, no post office, no police
department, but what we have is worth more than all
of these. One of our famous landmarks when giving people
directions to the Hermitage area is Corbin's store. Closed
now since the lady passed away four years ago it remains in
everyone's memory. People in the nearby town jokingly
refer to it as the Mall at Hermitage.

Visit another of our landmarks The Old Red Barn

John

Psalm 30: 4
Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give
thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.