Growing up in a small town may sound pleasant and peaceful, but this is not always the case. The townsfolk have known each other for generations and they know the area and like the back of their hands. It's basically like having one huge family. However, underneath this facade lies issues that need to be addressed.
My small town experience was not a positive one. When I first dropped myself into the community, I was not welcomed whatsoever. I'd received one dirty look after another; it was like I carried the plague. It was as if you couldn't be included in any conversation unless you grew up in the area. I did not, and was pushed away.
At first, I thought there was just something wrong with me. Turns out, the problem lies in small town America. They're not inclusive, welcoming, or willing to change. I decided to express my anger in the poem below called "This Is A Small Town."
I know your grandma. Everyone does.
She makes the best snickerdoodles.
Tell her to bring some to church on Sunday.
Oh, she's sick? With what?
She hasn't missed a service in 15 years…I think.
This is a small town.
The streets are narrow and full.
Old houses, one traffic light, cars dangerously close.
Hardly anyone can drive through
Without missing their intended street
Or almost scraping the side of a Ford pickup by the curb.
This is a small town.
I've known my friends since kindergarten
We've laughed, cried, and screamed to the sky.
We click together; a clique; a club.
What's the password? Not telling.
You're new around here. We hate new.
This is a small town.
Look at the new kid. He looks weird.
He's sitting by himself at the lunch table What a loner.
What do you mean "ask him to sit with us"?
Our table is too full. There's no room for anyone else.
He can man up and make his own friends.
This is a small town.
Who is that girl? She looks familiar.
She was in chorus with me? For all four years? Nah. L
She graduated with me? Salutatorian? Doesn't ring a bell.
Wait…she died of an overdose last week?
And I thought she was one of those "good girls."
This is a small town.
A small world, shut in tight from the dreaded reality.
We are united, a family that's stuck together.
We know each other's habits, know each other's dreams,
Know each other's business, know each other's secrets.
Nothing is sacred in this family.
This is a small town.
I can't breathe. I'm suffocating. I'm trapped.
Let go of me. I want to explore the world.
But I want to stay here, too. It's the only place I've ever known.
I'm not ready. This is my comfort zone.
I know everyone already. Why leave? Why change?
This is a small town.
