Hometown

In a small town,
there is only one post office,
one major department store,
two grocery stores,
many restaurants...

Everyone loves to eat,
neighbors know one another,
gather together to gossip,
join social clubs,
attend pta meetings.

school sports are supported,
everyone is the team mascot,
every child is family,
every family is one.

many varieties of religious belief,
some attend church regularly,
some attend nightclubs and bars,
some play billiard games,
some attend church socials,
pray during the week as well as Sunday Service.

Parents know the teachers by name,
Students know only the last name of the teacher,
Students must respect the rule of the school,
Every child must attend or see the truant officer,
Getting caught for being truant is
grounds for punishment and a visit to the principal.

Small town living is special.
Ice cream socials in the summer,
Christmas treats in the winter,
Halloween pranks in the fall,
and prom in the spring.

Everyone who loves everyone
tries to stay in the hometown,
some are forced away for reasons unknown,
some return to visit and remember
the good old days of hometown.

My hometown is a foundation
of learning, friendships, neighbors
and family, church and school.

Lessons learned in the past
are never forgotten, and the most
important lessons continue to be
realized in time.

Whether hometown is better appreciated
from far away or from closeup and within,
only each individual can ever say. 

It is a question whether to return or to stay,
whether anyone remembers when you were there,
or misses you when away.

No matter what, no matter how, it is where we made our bow.