A Community Close in the Heart

Out here what links us is not how close we are in space,

but how close we are in heart.

We gather at brandings, funerals, and fires.

In town and the bar,

at the fairgrounds.

We take the time to inquire, and word travels…

We know who is suffering and who is celebrating,

sometimes before they do.

Though long absence sometimes separates us

The joy of easy conversation,

Shared jokes, old stories, maybe even a song,

               or a poem

Solidifies our rural society,

               our culture,

                              our community

in a way that can’t be found in town.

Or at least, for us country folk, the urban noise and the ruckus—

it confuses us.

We can’t wait to get the hell out of town

to where we can visit.