The Plains of Dakota
The plains of the Dakotas seem endless
With rumors of great mountains to the west
And rumors of great lakes to the east
But to the proud pioneers who settled here it was home.
The sturdy Swedes, the proud Germans, the thrifty Dutch,
With mettle stronger than the steel plows
That challenged the tangled earth
Breakers of sod, conquerors of a vast, empty land
To them, the unbroken emptiness of their new home
Seemed a welcome relief after fleeing
The teeming confines of the overcrowded cities
Where their families had first settled and flourished
Free to band together and worship in their own way
Tight-knit communities sharing the same values
Hard work, family first, God, and a good harvest
To them the possibilities were endless
They felt safe in their sod homes
Even as they watched the gathering storm clouds
Rise up over the horizon and sweep over their meager shelters
And then pass, as though nothing had ever happened.
Even when the great flocks of migrating birds
Stopped before heading off to rumors of a warmer destination
The checkerboard of life continued uninterrupted
Season after season, generation after generation
The greatness of the wide-open plains
Swallowed its conquerors as they rejoiced in its emptiness
Content that they had found a new home
Safe in the knowledge that the land had finally accepted them
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