Blue Ridge Wildflower

The American dream loses steam

Dirt floor shacks and cotton seeds

Grandma and Papa dropped outta school

Worked the fields and played the fool

To the world.

Appalachian Mountains a place to call home

I grew up and away, made a home of my own

For a while in my youth ashamed and afraid

Shunning the place so lovingly made

A holler for my heart.

Moved down to the foothills when I was young

Lost my accent and got high strung

Got into college and a four-year degree

The very first one in the family

Never disappoint.

Mama made sure I never had to want

Even didn’t want me to take my first job

She’s been working since she was 15 years old

And saw how the factories drained her parents’ souls

Textile ain’t easy.

I remember when I realized time is a thief

Asking Grandma and Papa to tell me everything

Desperate to make up for all my rejection

Poring over their stories before they were taken

So scared to lose any pieces.

Going to college added a whole new layer to this fear

Visits even rarer and a few moments held dear

The distance grew bigger but my roots dug deeper

A young woman bloomed, history’s fond keeper.

Time is a thief,

But one thing remains—

Memories in the heart

Of a child grown changed.