In My Hometown/ In The Smallest Of Big Towns

for the Challenge a friend contest

  

IN MY HOMETOWN

Craig Froman

 

A California farm town

 Bulldogs, colors green and gold

One snow in twenty years

Small church, large hearts to hold

 

Kindergarten tackle football

Sent home with a blackened eye

Bean festival summers

Under a brilliant blue sky

 

So close to seaside cities

Disneyland and the deserts too

Yosemite was my enchantment

So dreamish were the worlds I knew

 

The high school art fanatic

First kiss as the rains came down

Laughing faces, sad goodbyes

And that was in my hometown…

 

 

 

In The Smallest Of Big Towns

Rock and Roll Cowboy

 

 

When we were young…

 

      We called home here

      In the smallest of big towns…

      These streets were our play ground,

      Playing in our own Super Bowl

      Or pretending to dunk

      In the NBA finals.

      A simple game of tag or hide and seek

      Was always played well into the night.

 

Coming of age…

 

      Entering our high school days…

      Still remaining five great friends

      Of very diverse backgrounds,

      The United Nations is what we were called

      In the smallest of big towns.

      Starting a band and chasing skirts,

      Sticking like glue through highs and lows.

      Waking the neighbors partying all night

      Or hanging and drinking on deserted roads,

      Oh yeah we did it all.

 

Finding our way…

 

      Into the reality of adulthood

      Couldn’t stop the five musketeers

      In the smallest of big towns.

      Through the agony of full time jobs

      And the misery of paying the bills

      We still found the time to show the world

      What friendship was about

      And could still tear up this town.

 

Through the years…

 

      Time has pulled us in different directions

      But our foundation remains on solid ground.

      What started out

      In the smallest of big towns

      Has turned into friendships bigger then the universe.

 

 

Author's Note

This is for the challenge a friend contest in which two people challenge one another with a topic or title... I was honored that C. Froman asked me to team with him... we decided to write poems bout growing up in our hometowns.

Reviews

[Brianna Brie]

Finding our way�

Into the reality of adulthood
Couldn't stop the five musketeers
In the smallest of big towns.
Through the agony of full time jobs
And the misery of paying the bills
We still found the time to show the world
What friendship was about
And could still tear up this town.

Ah, and what would a night out on the town be like with Dale. I like the format you chose of the different stages of life and how it fits in small town life and then the constant of friendship that remains. Catchy...In the smallest of big towns.

[~Mariposa Una Lila~]

that is so cool....you rock...did you know you are so fine! oh yes, and a great poet, truely talented x0x0x0x0

[Honeypot]

It seems like you've been taking stock of your friendships lately which is really a wonderul thing to do. I liked this one. Its a little snippet of life in your hometown and very nice. I thought the structure on this poem was very interesting too.

[An owl on the moon]

Thanks so much for doing this, Dale. Appreciate the depth, insight, and flow of your lyric piece! Such a vivid work full of life and all that it has been so far. Amazing read that is bigger than the universe!

[~Mariposa Una Lila~]

completly beautiful....and a very many fun filled memories for you....brings tears to my eyes....x0x0x0x0

[Anastasia Starlena]

This was awesome. I grew up in a small town in Texas here and this brought back memories. You know who your friends were and you built strong bonds. Everything seemed always sweeter in a small scale you knew your neighbors you could leave doors unlocked. Very nice the way these poems became a very cohesive piece. Each writing your perspectives. It was very fun and fascinating. I love to see people write together. Great job both of you.

[closed account]

how cool was this collaboration, I love this,
it gives insight into both your worlds, no matter
where we come from? home is where our heart is
and is where it all began! great job guys!!
loved it!! a smiley happy poem!!!

[MIA ST. PAUL]

These poems are so good, I could picture your home town and the two of you growing up...Very great read Dale..

:) Mia

[Wildfleour]

I love that you two challenged one another. Two of my best guy friends on here! Totally awesome.

Great collaboration, my friends! Just awesome! Can you see me smiling?????