Pride in Place? A #Poem

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, opinion, Poetry
Image via Mapswire.

Pride in Place?

Born in slum or palace
you have no say in your
accident of birth
Location status wealth
of parents determines
where you might emerge
So why so proud of
where this chance occurred
You made no choice here
It was imposed on you
Pride in place is foolish
With no experience
of another place
you can make no
meaningful comparison
You merely echo
what was foisted on you
by parents unconcerned
for your mature desires
You may find somewhere
that bears meaning for you
and settle there from choice
And there you may be
justified in feeling
pride in your selection
though experience will
show you every place
is good and bad
all factors considered

14 thoughts on “Pride in Place? A #Poem”

    1. Thank you, LaDonna. A good poem can have multiple meanings, depending on the reader’s experience and viewpoint, I think. For me, this was mostly about racism, but others may see another theme there.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Great poem. However, I’m pretty sure I readily knew the places my parents parked us were not great. I was always the odd duck in their über fundamentalist evangelical enclaves.

    I know I’m deep in Trump country in the rural farming town where I live. But, it’s the best I could afford and still be adjacent to the progressive RTP area where I’d prefer to be. And, more and more of this are is becoming subsumed as just another suburb of the RTP. Eventually, progressives should be the norm here.

    So… I’m ahead of the curve! 😎

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I hope that soon happens for you, Denise. I was moved several times by my parents and continued to change addresses as an adult, living at 14 different addresses. Trips abroad for holidays broadened my horizons further. And out current location was chosen as our place to live after retirement. It combines wonderful scenery, a village environment, and some lovely people!
      I wrote and published this to make a comment on racism, which is so often the result of people never leaving their home area and assuming where they live is the best place on Earth.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Yeah… so many Americans have never traveled, don’t associate with anyone who has traveled, and won’t have anything to do with immigrants. They cultivate their notions that no where on earth can compare to America, believing they live or once lived in an America that has never really existed.

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