kentucky exists as
a painful dichotomy
for the native
it is lush green
mountainous
untamed
awe inspiring in its beauty
bourbon distilled
crystal blue lakes
giving way to ancient streams
bluegrass growing atop
a bloody history
rich in the red clay
rolling cattle and horse farms
all the homegrown vegetables you can eat
but nestled into the picturesque hills
resides a poverty
like nowhere else in the nation
i come from a place so poor
the quality of life so brutally entrenched
few escape
the jobless rate
addiction
obesity
illiteracy
tobacco tumors
shorter life expectancy
and a disability check
dirty politicians
dirty preachers
racism
absolute segregation
in lincoln county
all the black folks live on water street
because that’s where they’re welcome
you see
it’s still 1955 where i’m from
but a little more backwards
because now there’s crystal meth
to pair with
celebrated ignorance
taught as religion
people convinced they’ll burn in hell
if they don’t donate to jesus and republicans
i go back from time to time
to see my mother
being down home isn’t quite death
but you can feel it crawling up your sleeve
when my time comes
give me dignity
burn my body
cast my ashes back to the sea
i don’t want my bones
trapped there
to endure eternity