This is Kelso-Longview

It’s 4:41 am and I hear the rain
and I hope the embers
at The Red Lion Inn will finally extinguish
because I don’t want Kelso 
to be on fire
The ache in my bones
is enough to remind me
That Jamie keeps talking about barometric pressure

~

I am awake at this hour often
and listen to the sounds
of Longview traffic
dock workers
and a mill town
Trains and a variety
of people with rough hands
People that love their dogs
more than their neighbors
and don’t realize what part of history
we should let go of
for the sake of our kids

~

If you step outside
and you know where to look
there are people who
live in their cars
and doorways
and every kind of structure
Look online and you can read
what some people think about that
Per capita we more generous
than more wealthy parts of our state
But we also have more secrets
and health issues
and we don’t like change

~

But every kind of person lives here
Seen or not
Heard or not
The friend
The socialite
Politician or religious zealot
The quiet people who listen
more than they talk
The teachers
The healers and artists
The people who don’t know what to do with themselves
and the ones who think they know best

~

This is Kelso-Longview
where everyone and no one knows your name
Some people love it
and others hate it
And sometimes you can see a downpour behind you
and a rainbow in front of you
My grandpa told me
the only other time he ever saw that
was when he was stationed in Japan
So I think of this place as not only my home
but a gift

~

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