In Honor of Milt - An Un-Contest Poetry Contest

In Honor of Milt - An Un-contest Poetry Contest I love the way Milton’s poem begins. It draws my attention immediately. Line 10 jolts me with Jacobs and Jacob-ites.I’m still quite interested! Line 3 of verse 2 gains my attention and then flowers bloom. I love the setting of the Applachians and West Virginia. What I said: A fave for me! So many wonderful things mentioned here! Congratulations on POTD! Milton’s reply: Thank you, Kim, for reading my poem and expressing your thoughts. I'm so happy you made it a FAVE, for I do think it is a worthy poem to be read many, many times, and I hope everyone who reads it will. It is one of my own personal favorites. No pretense at humility (too funny). I like that it was one of his personal favorites!! Though Milton was keen to correct, he helped me and others become better poets. Yearning for Reunion Ancient, rugged hills worn down by time I miss the lush green hills of my home Leaning away from the peaceful valley, Mountains forged from eons long forgotten During those prehistoric periods before Earliest settlers found the Appalachians, Already old, tired, and wrinkled, awaiting The laughter of young children discovering, Holding the secrets of ancestors denied Their birthright by Jacobs and Jacob-ites Where old waters flow down into new, New River old, maybe older, than the Nile. I miss the lush green hills of my home Leaning away from the peaceful valley Where John Deere still breaks the ground In the springtime after a long, hard winter, And where flowers bloom into October Especially if Mother Nature allows them. And she does, for that is her mountain way, Creating an everlasting yearning for reunion Back home in those West Virginia hills. By L. Milton Hankins POEM OF THE DAY, December 2, 2021 Poetry Soup written November 30, 2021 #49 on the Best New Poems List on Poetry Soup December 8, 2021