she lives in a world of her own
seducing even the most opposing hearts
she's got everything you want
she's got everything you need
at night she sits by the bonfire
looking over the river
drinking whiskey out of the bottle
with every friend shes got
at home she's got her city clothes
to get her through the week
but every weekend her heart comes home
to those dreams of freedom on the road
her mind is stuck way up in the ecstacy
of that sweet bluegrass air
foundation set in a bottle of anything
head swimming without a care
smoking a cigar from the county store
letting go of the troubles from her tired heart
simple pleasures from the small things
because she never asked for too much from the start
she's got no time for a backdoor man
she doesn't need the tears
only wants for the outdoors
and a good early morning beer
got a mouth like a switchblade
lord she knows how to fight
she's been to hell and back
still holdin' on tight
holding on to those old small town values
and everybody knows
if you try and fool her,
she's got a shotgun waiting for you
she's got her troubles
she won't hesitate to decree
got plenty of scars
but she's more than enough for me
shes a problem child
but almost always finds home
she walks down the city streets
but never forgets those hills she loves
she dances to the pop songs
longin' for those backcountry blues
she seems soft on the outside
but lord she's paid her dues
This post just reflects the area I'm from. A large portion of it is made up of suburbs but the country is never too far away. Boone county covers everything from the suburbs of Florence and Union, to the city streets of Covington just across the river from Cincinnati all the way over to the country roads and farms near Rabbit Hash and the outskirts of Union. It is a very diverse place but I have always preferred the countryside myself. I was born in the country so I have always loved the hills, woods, and open land.
First I think its really interesting that you personified your hometown as the gender opposite of your own(I think that you're the first to have done that in the group).It shows that you really thought about the area instead of just using a base that was easy and familiar. I also really liked how poetic your language was. you use a lot of simile and metaphors in your writing to paint pictures of this larger than life character. I really liked the line "but every weekend her heart comes home", I just think that people could read this and immediately understand the release and comfort of being in their own hometown.
ReplyDeleteImmediately, you should have known that I would have commented on this because we both are from good 'ol Union Kentucky. I love this poem, firstly because I can relate and I know exactly what you are talking about and secondly because of the descriptive language that you used. I agree with what Emma said, I like how you talked about it as a gender opposite of your own. I think that it made Union and the people who are from it seem proud of where they are from, and without a doubt, tough, girl or boy. You are an amazing writer and this is by far one of your best pieces.
ReplyDeleteDevin,
ReplyDeleteYour personification of Boone County makes great use of visual language and images to drive home your descriptions. Having a "mouth like a switchblade" is a great way of saying that she has a sharp tongue, that she can cut anyone down with her words and won't let someone put her down with theirs. The image of a waiting shotgun further emphasizes this point. I also enjoyed how you created an amalgam of intersecting city and country influences, acknowledging the influence and presence of more urban areas while professing a preference for the rural. Nicely done!