Dust Won’t Catch Our Dreams, by DeWayne Barton (BLove)
Posted on August 21, 2018
Poetry Page from the Summer issue of the Halcyone
DEWAYNE BARTON
Dust Won’t Catch Our Dreams
Searching and discovering harmony with the natural environment
Is one of the draws, an anchor to most who visit this place
Our past spirits remind the future
No one can hide, no bank account too deep that can jeopardize our people, our place When we don’t let dust catch our dreams
Like the French Broad River winding through the land,
Flowing south to north like a vein under the skin
So shall we practice interwoven equity, new name against an old game
So let’s turn up the lights again, pull the truth out of the closet
Not disguise our past, revisit our foundation
Everyone has a role to play, a lane of accountability
Peace and truth be still
A beautiful land and powerful people
The healing track we need to reach our destination: a healthy community
So, let everyone’s voice be heard, let all visions collide
Redesigning our place
Sharing
Everyone is welcome!
Oh! But don’t let dust catch our dreams and the reality, when we wake up, destroy our hope This will lead to a livable environment
From Hillcrest to Biltmore, from Burton Street to North Asheville
We shall share and support values that enhance the pleasure of our mountain community What will be losing? What will be letting go?
More people will come to visit and they will say,
“Wow! We’re in a city where EVERYONE is winning!”
Where the plans match the reality, where the dust won’t catch our dreams
Supporting the environment and all the people
This will spark a shared giving
That flows from one to the whole, from several different directions
This will launch a resilient economy – remember, no matter what side of town you are from Bringing food into the storehouse, leaving an inheritance
Many mirrors and new patterns for our next generation to catch, share and practice When the land and the people are valued
A healthy seed of community can grow
Into responsible regionalism where all the unique parts of the whole become ONE Connected and maintenance with a regenerative shine
What a dream this is with so many past nightmares, fear and doubt
So many happy times
But do you believe?
Dust won’t catch our dreams