L Milton Hankins Poet Free verse

The Appalachians

I grew up in the high Appalachians
Near the rim of the newest parklands,
Before strangers discovered the beauty
And the possibilities of running the rapids,
Enterprising out-of-staters saw promise
Buying up the small farms and fields,
Making them summer whitewater camps.
Now, real money is being made while
The seasons allow the sounds of laughter,
Drowning out dejected sighs of poverty
In the high Appalachians where I was born.

written September 12, 2021

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Gershon Wolf September 13, 2021 at 7:19 PM Money and laughter drown out poverty. Sounds like America's success formula. I had thought that the Robin Hoods of American politics would have made such a thing illegal by now. ~ Just sayin'

Delice Arleen Skelly September 13, 2021 at 2:09 AM Appalachians, the very word conjures up everything that is a natural wonder...Delice

Tom Cunningham September 13, 2021 at 1:15 AM Again only seen pictures of the Appalachians and if heaven is on earth that is it, how lucky you were to grow up in such a beautiful place. Tom

Caren Krutsinger September 12, 2021 at 12:37 PM I love this optimism "The seasons allow the sounds of laughter, Drowning out dejected sighs of poverty" L Milton Hankins September 12, 2021 at 5:56 PM It is a surprising by-product of the change in the small community where I was born and raised. So different from when I was growing up.