Lament or Jubilee?

by Ron Ginther

Ten men’s trailers set in row,

All that’s left as hamlets often go.

Never really grown a town amid

Scrub grassland, pines, rocky ground.

“West Plains” it’s called, Tyler’s a has-been.

Its last store/ truck stop? Closed, and

Owners moved in.

Tyler, Tyler, didn’t anyone ever love you?

Whoever did, proved a charmer untrue.

A grange is faithful yet, and there’s a

Crossing for the railroad-

But the town itself is a tale grown cold.

Some things go up, some things go down,

But some things, alas, never turn back around.

Yet life’s still a funny, tricky thing-

A spin of the wheel can shower you with gold-

But it’s millions to one, or so I am told.

Tyler of course has no such wheel

unless a pioneer’s wagon lost it on a bad day.

O Tyler, Tyler! Your dreams seem all lost,

Since your last dreamer gave up and moved away.

II

Does this place know there was Christ’s resurrection?

Does this place know there’s more to life than living and dying?

Does this place know the Man from Galilee came through this railroad crossing?

I saw him, so I know a seed’s been sown for restoration.

And as he sowed I heard the Sower singing,

Quietly, not like wild geese as they are winging.

Sowing, sowing His priceless kingdom seed,

Sowing, sowing for every soul’s deepest need.