Celebrating Rural Poetry

Celebrating Rural Poetry Winning Posters

When I was young at the campground,
My family and I took long four-wheeler rides through the mountains.
We stopped by every berry patch along the way, picking all the ripe berries
and eating them as we made our way down
the dusty paths through the trees.
When I was young at the campground,
We grabbed our towels and went down to the shaded river bank.
We slowly made our way deeper into the icy water,
as the dogs jumped in around us.
My cousin caught crawdads to go fishing with later that evening.

I'm from clothespins,
on the backyard clothesline.
I am from getting my hands stuck in the ringer.
From screaming for dad
to come and help get my hands unstuck!

I'm from long distance relationships, from Whitman and Breadon
to Branchland and Switzer.
I'm from the church on
Sunday mornings
to catching a ride with the preacher.

I'm from the leftovers in the fridge,
from green bean casserole and pork-n-beans
chilled from the night before.
I'm from a poor man's dinner from throwing
different things together

Where I’m From
By: Sarrah Farley

I am from a small town with one set of street lights and a town where everybody knows everybody.
I’m from Scooby-doo and Eureka’s Castle.
I’m from grandmother’s spaghetti that tastes like heaven in your mouth.
I am from Boy Meets World and Teen Nick.
I am from mud pies and sand castles in the cold, wet dirt.
I am from bruised limbs and scraped knees.
I’m from “Hey Kid!” to “Young Lady!!”

I am from broken hearts and broken dreams.
I’m from lost hopes and standing up for what I believe in.
I am from artistic passion and tortured pictures.

I AM FROM
By: Bo Browning

I am from mountains
From farming and hunting.
I am from ponds deep in the hills Fishing and swimming.
I am from Mud Fork
Red necks and beer.
Trucker caps and blue jeans
They're all that we wear.

I am from a good family
Who knows how to do nothing but love.
I am from Chevy trucks,
Four wheel drives and four wheelers.
From clean your plate! And shut the hell up! I'm from Sunday church
And school the next mornin'
And a table full of supper when I get home.

I'm from Verdunville and Baisden Bottom
Bologna and cheese
From the teeth my papaw lost to old age

I arrived in the summer.
That hot and humid West Virginia summer that left my mouth dry only seconds after having had a sip of ice cold water.
That weather that soared up to a whopping ninety-five degrees which was just hot enough for bare feet to run comfortably across the greenest of green grass. (Not emerald green, more so the color of how lime green popsicles look after turning to mush.)
That perfect-to-swim-weather summer that welcomed me, led me, into this home in
which I now reside.
I now live in a simple way. I have a yard, and a bench swing, and a porch, something many people have. However, not so many people have these mountains.

the little girl in the sunflower dress dances by herself
her dreams fly high and her hopes even higher 'cause no
one's let her down yet

the mountains are her fortress, her comforter, her haven
they keep out the boogie man, the big storms, and the
dangers

the little girl in the sunflower dress still dances by herself
she's an appalachian princess in her prime but doesn't
realize it yet

the mountains are like her pawpaw, old and wise
they hold her desires, her truths, and her lies

Unexpected Beauty
By: Jessica Minor

Wild, wonderful West Virginia,
Where the mountains protect us,
From violent storms,
And the dangers of the outside world.
Where people are the friendliest around,
And you'd be so glad you'd met them,
And the scenery, oh that scenery,
You could fall in love with it in an instant.

And when the winter finds our house,
Bringing that chill in the air,
And the smell of the damp cold,
Forcing us to get all bundled up in the scarves that Grandma made us,
And as much as I may complain about it,
I couldn't live without the snow.

And when spring peaks its head around the comer,

True Canvas
By: Travis Crum

With noble hands The Artist formed West Virginia.
He placed his palms upon the earth and cut out the mountains.
He did not stop until he saw it was smooth and just.

He opened up the Eternal Door to let water seep in.
Rivers cut through the soil giving lifelike blood in veins.

When he rested his head upon the meadows, valleys cupped his skull.
When he opened his eyes he saw blue, mirrored from the sky and the hollows of his eyes.

He scoured the Heavens for the finest shade of black.
He decided upon the most piceous of color for the coal.