Saturday, September 19, 2015

O’ Little town (Not Bethlehem)



Oh little town
I’ve known you long.
So small a place housing so much.

The railroad,
on which trains chug past
a dozen a day at times.
What ruckus and clamor they bring.
They shake you like a maraca.

The highway.
So thin, so small. So dangerous
and untamed.
With traffic lights
that change but once a day
prompting red, red runs of impatience.

The river.
Which swells and bloats
and floods the businesses
when the winter rains
pelt endlessly.
Thus why you smell like moldy socks.

The forests;
a lumberjack’s wonderland.
Now sliced and diced
down, dragged away.
Logging trucks still fly down the roads
their compression brakes
hammering away like machine guns.

Library,
post office,
convenience stores,
gas stations;
I know them all, and
equally well.
Like the trees that
line the center divider
of your main street which
bloom
so big and green and bold.

I’ve grown to loath you,
wicked city.
Your filthy, red-necked,
foolish drunkards.
Your homeless drug lords and
their sapphire tarp palaces.
Your aimless youth who despise
a future to be proud of.
I’ll never have a place with them,
not any.
And for that I am proud.

But,
a part of me is still deposited in you.
As I prepare to leave
I find myself sorry to go.
I loved you even as I detested you;
you were my home.

Be good to yourself,
oh little town.
And when I visit
I’ll maybe hate you even less.
Farewell.

6 comments:

  1. I miss you too. Also, it's people like you that can make a difference! I look forward to seeing the imprint you put on this thing called life. You got this.

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  2. I love this!! Read it twice:)
    ~Abby

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  3. I loved this also, read it more than twice because I was just commenting about my town in the same way. But I'm stuck here in my old age and what made this town full of life and love is gone so now I'll just wait till my time to leave it comes. You my Grandson are 21 and could have 79 years to change this town and the world if you use the talent the Lord has bless you with. I on the other hand have I only 23 possible years to do a little something and I'm trying but I'm getting tired.
    Good luck and most of all blessing on your new life.
    I Love you Forever;
    Granma
    p.s.
    Uncle Marcel and now Aunt Deborah were married in Ireland last Sat. I've seen a few pictures what beauty there is over there. And the bride and groom looked pretty good too. I stayed with Ana and Pete when he was not at school or working.

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  4. "compression brakes / hammering away like machine guns."

    I love it.

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  5. Caleb, I think it's so grand and cool that you did the double Thanksgiving road trip to be with those you love. Way to go!

    Uncle Rog

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