Mountain Pictures and a Story Poem #Poetry #SmokyMountains

Posted on by BonnieReadsAndWrites

Here is the mountain view from my future retirement house in Bryson City, NC. My grandfather bought this land in the 1930s and passed it to his children. I bought my Mom’s house in 2009 and will get to retire here in a couple years. I got to thinking about families who have been on their land for a long time and how you can just feel their presence. So that inspired the story poem below. At the bottom of the page are more shots of our property. All photos by Doug DeMoss.

Welcome Home, Rosalie

I was born here
In a rough cabin knocked together
Cold wind screeching through

But my mother kept me warm and safe
In these mountains all her days

My children ran through these hills
We sweated the fields and hunted the ridges.
We struggled but we thrived

When my end came they gathered round to say goodbye
And my soul rushed away, content.

I came back to visit often
Watching over them as they laughed and cried
Until they joined me, one by one
Now there are no tears.

The cabins are fancy now
The mules gave way to “cars”
The way of life changed as I watched
And before long my great-grandchildren met me.

Now another Rosalie has arrived
Named after me, my daughter, and many other kin
She walks through these hills, not exactly knowing
But feeling all of us as we walk beside her

She can sense but not see
Our hands on her shoulders as we welcome her home

Published by BonnieReadsAndWrites

I love to read and write book reviews in my free time. I review advance review copies of books on Netgalley for various publishers. I am also a reviewer for Historical Novels Review Magazine, the magazine of the Historical Novel Society. I review books from publishers of all size, large to small. I have a special place in my heart for indie authors. I will sometimes post a little writing that I might dabble in occasionally. I also am lucky enough to live in the Smoky Mountains, so I'll be sharing photos of the beauty around me from time to time.

18 thoughts on “Mountain Pictures and a Story Poem #Poetry #SmokyMountains”

    1. I am very appreciative. My grandfather managed to get a loan and work off the debt on his land at a time when few farmers owned their homes. From what I understand he worked his tail off to do it, farming and logging both. When I looked him up on ancestry.com, they even made a note in his story that he was listed as a home owner in the 1940 census and it was quite an accomplishment to own your own home back then.

      Liked by 2 people

  2. Beautiful words and pictures. While I lack the physical legacy you enjoy, I have always felt a spiritual kindred with these mountains that was only realized when I moved to the Asheville area two years ago — a forty year dream.

    Liked by 2 people

  5. Wow, Bonnie, what a beautiful and amazing place and legacy. Even more amazing is your poem that gives us such a rich and in-depth look into your ancestry, life years ago, and your loving memories in so few words. I do not often read poetry, and I read yours several times to absorb it all. Thank you for sharing!

    Liked by 1 person

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