River's Bend

River's Bend

At a bend in the Tygart river are two trees
Leaning, straining out over the water
Roots exposed, reaching deep into the soil
Like the fingers of a great hand grasping the earth.

It is this soil, this land, from these people that I spring-
Leaning, straining like the tree over life's river,
With roots going deep, holding fast.
Firmly rooted in these mountains.

Before the days of political correctness my siblings and I would tell people that we were spick-hicks. It was a short, pithy way of explaining our heritage, and in some ways our family culture. I wrote the poem above after a visit to the WVA mountains for a reunion with my mother's people. I thought about the verses a day or so ago. Maybe I'll work on the Latina side too...