I walked through the town
with music in the air
a little of everything
filtered in the stirring
where old hippies and past yuppies
danced with their babies
and generation x’ers
looked on without care
boxers on leashes and
tie die on peace’ers
freedom and democracy
kept time with the basketballs
parading down the street
many clapping their hands
and dancing near the stage
set up at Broadway and Main
 
celebration time in this small
American town
where organic farmers mingle
with timber loggers and
shake the hands of Vietnam vets
the pot heads are  mellow
and the politicians are green
and locals encourage biodiesel
vegetarians are cool and
blend well with the stew of
promoters of the NRA
some red necks linger
by the blue color beer garden
just beyond the red hat society’s
wine club
 
rock and roll to the left
and blue grass on the right
and somewhere near the middle
were independent minstrels
I saw cowboy hats and straw
this and that along with the
collection of baseball caps
grey hair was abundant
from crew cuts to braids and
Rastafarian long locks
25 yrs they’ve been celebrating
closing the streets of downtown
encouraging every local to participate

tonight they’ll close it all down
everyone goes back to their homes
and next week it’ll all be forgotten
from other states students return
college begins its fall term
football will reign at the stadium
all the workers resume their places
choosing the sides of their
political races
all the while the weather  changes
and mother nature redresses her trees
and this small town resumes its pace
just a slice of humanity’s grace
that found a reason to celebrate