gone were the days br when the veranda keeps a man br to fill its empty space br to watch again those countless br stars in the heavens br at night br when everyone is gone br to sleep br br it is those books br those black and white letters br those rules and laws br they are those that took the man br away from it br br how can this veranda sing again tonight? br how can an evening rain retain its meaning? br br all these laws br unromantic and so unkind br all these men br have since then br become schemers br of cunningbr br RIC S.