The tale of a mansion

Everyday on her long winding drive home
Right by a perfect little corner
Stood this beautiful mansion

That she stared for a bit, maybe with a pinch of envy
But a whole lot of admiration

Perfectly laid granite floors and a garden so green
Luxurious set of evergreens with not a twig out of place

Daisies that seemed to be in bloom
Every single day and every passing seasons

Grand balconies that opened to even grander corridors
And hallways that can easily host, a party of 30 people or more

Ponds with small fountains and chandeliers in the garden
Because why not?

And a garage that was
More like a shopping mall parking lot

One fine evening, she decided
To just venture into this castle

Hoping to be humbled by the owner of that grandeur

Expecting a family of 6, 8 or more
Because even numbers make better joint families
And a princess or two, because a castle like this had to have a few

Instead she was greeted by a few maids here and there
And a gardener who worked all year around

A well maintained castle that was abandoned long time ago
In a pursuit of foreign dreams and status symbols

On the other side of the world, probably in a studio apartment

The fruits of their labor continued to be spent
On a house that will never become a home

Now that she looked back, the lawn seemed too perfect
And a garage without a single tyre track

White walls that echoed emptiness and
Flowers that never got plucked by children

Surreal, stunning but cold and lonely
An old abandoned house that was once but a beautiful dream

She parked her old sedan in her tiny garage
Her father came to open the gates
And her son had plucked the last of the roses

An aroma of coconut oil heating in the kitchen
And toys and books strewn across the floor

Probably not a gloriously well maintained castle
But a living breathing warmth that she calls home
Filled with love, life and laughter