With humble apologies to Benny Grunch and the Bunch, and all of the people from the city of New Orleans who have suffered their own losses, I offer my version of “Ain’t There No More,” for my hometown of Rumford, Maine. Some of these places closed because they went out of business when the times did not call for that particular type of business anymore. Some were destroyed by fire, and sadly some by the economy. My intent is not to hurt feelings or dredge up bad memories. I think without remembering our past, we can not enjoy our present, and hope for the future of this great town. With that, I present “Ain’t There No More,” The Rumford Edition.
Ain’t There No More-Rumford Edition
Zayer’s ain't there no more,
The Fashion Bug lady’s store,
The Strand and Ames ain't there no more.
The Post Office in Martin’s store?
It’s gone. Ain't there no more.
Nine Dragons, has been named seven things before,
And you can smell the money once more.
But The Corner Lunch and The Terminal Lunch
Have closed their door
And you can’t catch Island Cab or Jake’s Taxi no more.
You can shop at Aubuchon and Hannaford,
Stanley's Furniture is still on Congress Street,
But Dee R’s, Franelle’s, and The Delle Shop,
They ain’t there no more.
Yardstick, WT Grant’s, and First National closed their door.
You can go to Black Mountain to ski,
Or meet up with your veteran friends at the V.
You can get exotic wood at Red Oak Forestry,
But don’t look for Chabat’s Taxi or the K of C,
Because they ain’t there no more!
The old Agway grain store,
Sadly it ain't there no more.
The Panthers and Pinto’s next door
Of fame and football lore?
Those are the ones! Ain't there no more.
I go by the stone church every day,
And we have many more if you want to pray,
Nut the Corner Lunch is gone away,
And the Lunch Room and Wonder Lunch
Ain’t there no more, so no brunch!
Leblanc Cleanser’s and old Coos Avenue,
Down on Waldo street, and Wooters too.
and DJ’s at the Animal Farm to name another few.
No pile of ashes or locked door,
They ain’t there no more.
We have a Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s,
The Dollar Store and Davis Florist
But Roland Marshall’s and the ice cream store,
The OK Corral, and Gemini Clothing Store,
They ain’t there no more.
The Drive-In ain’t there no more,
Nor is GH Bass next door.
The movie theater, De-Cor.
Marx Men’s Clothing Store,
Jim's Pizzaland, ain’t there no more.
You can take your car to Gilman’s, Adley’s,
Or Big Dan’s, for a little auto restore,
But don’t look for Frost Motor Supply
or the Legere’s hardware store,
Because they ain’t there no more.
Ralph Clark, the plumbing store,
(except for painting on the wall,)
Just ain’t there no more,
Chase Clothing Store,
It ain’t there no more.
We have Bartash’s, Carlisle’s Apparel and Footwear,
But Hall’s Garage, and The Porter store,
If you’re looking, ain’t there no more.
Food Trend on River Street
Is a Circle K, clean and neat.
The Mammoth Mart Super Store,
Ain’t there no more.
E&J’s and Beeakers convenience store,
I know you keep on looking,
But they ain’t there no more.
We have Dead River, Community Energy,
Ink Maine and Big Apple convenience store,
River Valley Optometry, Club Neopolsi,
Even Thibault and Meader and Sons
for people who ain’t here no more.
Lucy's Variety and Louvat's store,
They lived behind the same door.
But they ain’t there no more.
Scotty Richardsons, Dino’s Pizza,
Gone; ain’t there no more.
The Rumford Falls Times prints a weekly sheet,
Good Karma, and The Chamberlain, food to eat,
But gone are Prevo’s and Milligan's Arcade on Waldo Street.
Connie’s and Rizanno’s have locked the door,
And you can’t eat there no more.
Freddy’s sizzler of renowned lore,
Milligan’s Market and a bowling alley score,
You can see the old cement floor,
But Teddy’s Pizza is long gone,
And Goodwin’s is now Benjamin Moore.
The Walgreens was a Rite-Aid Store,
But I still think of it as Laverdiere’s
But that ain’t there no more.
Nor is the Irish Market food store,
Or The Barnboard’s dance floor.
We have Marden’s Arby’s and the TSC,
But you ain’t gonna see
Madison’s or Linnell Motel or Corner Pharmacy.
And Brook’s Drugs, George Auto Sales, Phil Gagnon’s Variety
Ain’t there no more.
We still have the American Legion Hall,
And the Hotel Harris is standing tall,
But Woolen’s Yardgoods and Hammane’s Hardware,
And what about Sampson’s Red and White and Lufkin School?
They just ain’t there no more.
You can put your money in Bangor or Franklin Saving
But St. Rocco’s flag has stopped waving,
And you can’t get milk from Breau’s, or HP Hood’s,
Turner Center, or Ferland’s Dairy,
Because they ain’t there no more!
The Blue Iris is a good place to stay,
For a whole weekend or just a day.
Hoot Hoyt’s Redemption Center
Will take your bottles and cans away,
But gone is the Rumford Center IGA.
The Village Shoppe, and Hermon’s Bar and Grill,
Food Town, Casco Bank, and Rumford Auction Gallery,
They ain’t there no more,
Nor are Joe Gagnon’s Service Station,
The Cozy Inn, Rumford Oil, and Normie’s Store.
Hunt’s Auto Stop ain’t there if your brakes don’t stop,
Nor is Rasmussen’s Upholstery and The Electric Shop,
E Roderick Store, and Potvin’s are gone.
You can’t go to Pat's Market for a soda pop,
Because it ain’t there no more.
The folks over at Erik Designs
Make graphics and beautiful signs
But Parents Clothing Store and Demers Electric
Aren’t even homes for porcupines,
They ain’t there no more.
Byron Joy’s Garage, First Industrial Bank, The Polo Taxi Stand,
You can look far and wide across Rumford’s land,
But they ain’t there no more,
Nor are G.W. Cummin’s and Luce’s Garage,
Also Gray-Todd Service ain’t there no more.
Holland, Red Hill, and No.4 School up by Beliveau
can’t open their doors for you.
Mooney’s ain’t there no more.
The Opera House, Candy Kitchen, FallsView Hotel,
They are all gone as well!
McKenzie Mercantile, Bridgeham & Son,
Kimball’s Store in Rumford Point, sadly all done.
The Free Store, Brooks Pharmacy, Medi-Center,
Red Hill Natural Foods, True Value Hardware,
And Young Generations clothing store ain’t there no more.
Lisa's Travel doesn’t book winter getaways,
Ain’t no Rumford Center School these days.
The Madison, Food City and Maddy's
Are gone like fall leaves,
And Scoops and Fielder's Choice ain’t there no more.
Bouffard’s Furniture, Weston's Bar and Jack's Place,
The Rumford Mall, Jake's Garage, and Thai’s smiling face,
They ain’t there no more!
Gone are Courtesy Cab and The Woodrow School.
Brian’s Place moved to Bethel. He opened in a new space.
Hotel Rumford, and Gatch’s, serve it up hot,
But Dorion’s and Rizanno’s do not,
Why? Because they ain’t there no more,
But you can visit The Deluxe Diner or The Lure.
Connie’s? No, it ain’t there no more.
The Acadia, WT Grant, JJ Newberry and more,
Four Corners, and Four Corners Two,
Perry’s and Larry’s, were the same store.
But St John’s, Pettengill, Chisholm, and Bisby,
Those schools ain’t there no more.
Platter Restaurant, and Chandlers clothing store,
Gallant’s/Glazier’s, and The Lunch Room too,
Stephens High School, and the Rumford Zoo,
Herbie and Judy ain’t there no more,
But you can buy fence posts by the score.
Ralph’s, Sam’s, Munchy’s, and the What Not Shop,
The Mountain Valley Variety, where you can buy a pop,
But you won’t find Blackie’s Ski Shop,
It ain’t there no more,
Nor is Lamey Wellehan Shoe store.
Mount Zircon, Isrealson, the McCarthy Hospital,
Don’t look, they ain’t there no more.
The McDonald School, Stanley Market,
And R. Rosato’s Grocery store,
Glass Front Market ain’t there no more.
The Railroad Passenger Station; long gone,
and the roundhouse is barely hanging on,
Clough and Pillsbury are no more,
Virgin’s Auto moved over to Peru,
And Clark’s freezer don’t make ice no more.
Freezy’s in Smith Crossing?
That ain’t there no more,
Israelson Motors, Crawford’s,
And Gauthier Furniture Store,
Nope, they ain’t there no more.
Carroll Cut Rate, and Bob’s Quick Stop,
Freddies Lunch, and The Barbara Shop,
Ain’t there no more.
Georgette's in Samson and Delilah Hair Salon
Ain’t there no more; long gone.
You can’t go to the ‘Stute no more,
but you can go to the GRCC;
Good sportsmanship is always in store.
We have the Public Library, Hospital, and House of Pizza,
But Rioux Music ain’t there no more.
St. A’s school and church closed their door,
now it’s senior housing apartments, 100 or more.
Puiia’s shoe repair, Chico’s Bar, Dorian’s market,
Hamlin’s Ski, and Anastasio’s garage,
They ain’t there no more.
The Methodist Church is now 49 Franklin.
Wallace’s? You can’t wheel your bike in.
The Busy Bee and Ruggles Store,
Ain’t there no more.
New Rumford Cleaners ain’t there no more.
We have Family Planning the Eagles and Mt View Eye Care,
But Puiia’s Barber Shop with a story and trimmed hair,
Well, it just ain’t there.
What about the Elks Club and, Lucy’s Store,
They ain’t there no more!
I wanted to stop at the Fortune Cookie,
But it ain’t there no more,
But Kaynor Law, and Keys Insurance right next door,
Are down next to the old Muskie building,
Though its name is changed for sure!
JE Stephens, and Ed Muskie’s dad’s Taylor Shop,
Ain’t there no more, but at Island Indulgence you can stop.
Gone are The Ideal Restaurant or Adolph Talbot Store.
The Majestic Theater, Dunton Lumber Company,
They ain’t there no more!
You could ski Scotty’s before there was Black Mountain,
But it ain’t there no more.
Long gone is The Little Folks’ Shop,
And Bennet’s Shoe Store;
You won’t see it no more!
We have United Insurance, Poland Spring, and Trendsetters Hair,
Tri-County and Oxford County Mental Health, are there,
Barks and Bubbles, 207 Graphics, and Lennox and Steve Avery Law,
A State Farm, and Tarte and Tarte too,
Some things ain’t there but there is plenty to do!
The Boardwalk at Park Place still takes guests
Who stop to visit and rest,
And there is a new hotel on the way,
Hopefully businesses here to stay,
So empty stores ain’t our thing anymore!
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Lou Marin was born and raised in the western hills of Maine, then spent 20 plus years wandering the country and world in the United States Air Force. He is a photographer, published poet and short story writer who now also pens faith based devotionals. He lives in Rumford, Maine. His five poetry anthologies, published by Publish America and entitled, Awash With Words, Old Waves, New Beaches, Whisper of Waves, and Sea To Shining Sea, Version 1 and 2, are available in print and online.
He can be reached in the following ways:
Louis Marin
218 Penobscot St #2
Rumford, ME 04276
(207) 520-0173
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Blackberries
Bloody scratches on my forearms,
Legs pierced by brambles and thorns, A small handful of sweet berries, Colorful red-black smeared face Keep me seeking more treasures. Bloody scratches on my forearms,
Easing deeper into the patch, Reaching for more plump fruit, Reaching for more plump fruit, I seek the perfection nature presents. Easing deeper into the patch, Sugar in each succulent picking.
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Dear Fiction Editor,
Please consider the attached/enclosed poetry entitled, “Cheltie, A Puppy” for publication by “Limestone.” I feel like my work would be a good fit with you.
I am a photographer, writer of an online blog and a daily spiritual/devotional offering as well as being the author of five poetry anthologies that were available through PublishAmerica. My shorts have been published in “Terrorhouse Magazine,” as well as poetry published in “Terrorhouse” “Visitant,” “The Pangolin Review,” and “Harbinger Asylum.” I have also been featured online at writing.com.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
-Lou Marin
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STARS
Stars above in a piercing cold night sky
Tell of a life and light far, far away. Another cosmos way out there. Right here in front of our minds; Stars above in a piercing cold night sky.
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