Jury S. Judge: Poetry: May 2021

Poetry

Southern Legitimacy Statement: I was born and raised in Texas. According to my grandmother, I am a descendant of one of the families who founded San Patricio, Texas

Average Working People Are Not Average

A compassionate friend once said to me,
over a cup of steaming herbal tea,
“Are artists really the only people?
Are athletes really the only people?
How about our average working people?
It is not only the famous who matter.
Let’s shift our attention to the latter.
How about our brave, loyal officers,
and our dependable, trusted teachers?
How about the emergency doctors,
and our incomparable firefighters?
How about local expert baristas,
and pub owners who mix margaritas?
How about punctual taxi drivers,
and our innovative entrepreneurs?
How about trusted policy makers,
and forever early rising bakers?
How about all-nighters driving snow plows,
and ranch hands waking sleepy milking cows?
How about the loving child-care workers,
and our hurried restaurant laborers?
How about the working single mothers,
and all the struggle of countless others?
We are a beautiful community.
So diverse because of its unity.”