Inspiring words from your neighbors
Age 8 and younger
Tennessee’s Wonderful Land
Tennessee’s nature is so pretty,
it makes me want to sing a ditty.
From all the hills on all the mountainsides,
it makes me want to sing with pride.
Once you see it, you’ll understand;
Tennessee’s land is so grand.
— Charlotte Kreder,
Middle Tennessee Electric
A Raindrop Hit a Flower
A raindrop hit a flower
It began to shower
It showered on the flowers
The flowers began to grow
The sun began to show.
– Mia Law
Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation
Tennessee
Tennessee is just for you and me
There are mountains for us to see
Lakes and rivers, purple irises and trees
Listen to the music of famous Dolly
Tennessee is the best place to be!
– MaryAlice Bowman
Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation
Age 9-13
Colors of the Lake
Orange kayak
Pushed into the sparkling water
Of the Cherokee
Kayaking with my father.
Blue swimsuit
Diving into the crisp water
Of the Douglas
Swimming with my mother.
Green life vest
Floating in the cool water
Of the Cherokee
Treading water with my brother.
Yellow sun hat
Talking in a whisper
On the shore of the Douglas
Suntanning with my sister
— Janessa Simmons,
Appalachian EC
Inspiration In An Iris
In the dead of one dear chilly night,
Stood an iris of all blue and white,
Her petals whispered tales of grace,
Of her master’s tender loving embrace.
She’s the queen of every single flower,
She reigns with kindness and a lot of power,
Her petals dance in morning’s light,
A sign of beauty, elegant and bright.
With many colors she sways so free,
An endless bond of loyalty,
Her petals kiss the morning dew,
A timeless pledge.forever true.
– Shemayah Perdomo
Caney Fork Electric Cooperative
Flying Free
Over the mountain,
through the valley,
across the swaying fields,
I fly high in the sky,
free until I die.
I am the mockingbird,
majestic and sweet.
Some may call me absurd,
but I am really a treat.
Sing a tune, and I might repeat it back,
if you’re lucky, of course.
But if you make a big loud “whack,”
I’ll lift off with extra force.
Now that you know all about me,
you need to know I love Tennessee,
so let me fly ever so free.
– Margaret Stewart
Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation
Age 14-18
Roots
Time itself is an inevitable force
Even the trees with trunks in their prime are subjects of the seasons year after year
This change is unrivaled in Tennessee
As the bittersweet seasons pass by and transform me
I cannot help but have a thought that provides comfort, like the voice of my mother
The leaves will change and wither
But the roots stand like no other
Witnessing my family aging with grace
Smiling at the roots that hold us down
Prayers of my family still protecting us today
Keeping us strong like they were in those old Tennessee days
— Maggie Williams,
Cumberland EMC
A Tennessee Picnic
The sun rises, it’s a Tennessee day.
A day for a picnic, take no delay!
The big wicker basket is passed left to right.
It’s packed with a feast, and just might
Have room for the sweet tea to bring,
For the big wicker basket holds many things.
The day’s a success with food and fun,
But when our picnic is over and done,
We.find that the basket holds more than food.
Moments of memories and laughter it brings.
The big wicker basket holds the best things.
– Ch1oe Hieber
Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation
Age 19-22
The State Flower
My mom was like the Tennessee state flower
A bright and beautiful Iris
Her smile had a soft power
Bringing joy to everyone she met, her positivity was contagious, a virus
She enjoyed the church and God
Sweet tea, fried chicken, mac and cheese and, of course, her green beans
Cloud watching on a boat with a fishing rod
She was a beautiful woman with big dreams
A beautiful heart she reaped and sowed
Made of sunshine and blue skies, my amazing guardian angel
For you, I plant a big bright Iris in my heart and
I watch it grow
— Lacy Drake, Cumberland EMC
An Ode to the Tennessee Sky
Dancing in the light of the moon
Gravel neath our feet
Singing to you, an old Dolly tune
While you sip your whiskey neat
We hike trails to waterfalls
Take off our shoes,jump right in
Huge trees making me feel so small
Wet clothes sticking to skin
Someday well make it to Music City
Well be playing every bar
Ill be onstage, belting some ditty
While you strum your old guitar
But we dont care about our names in lights
Though some may wonder why
All we care about are hot, summer nights
Under the Tennessee sky
– Lilliana Johnson
Duck River Electric Membership Corporation
Home
From city lights to mountain air,
A peaceful valley, beyond compare.
Wildflowers bloom, the hawks glide free,
The river whispers calls to me.
Lavender scents and honeyed breeze,
Bees and butterflies drift with ease.
The creeks flow on, the deer drink near,
In this quiet, my heart feels clear.
Kindness thrives, both near and far,
Underneath the same bright star.
In this place, Ive found my way,
A home where peace will always stay.
– Nataliya Tedford
Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative
Age 23-64
Unearthed
Cold hard earth, nowhere to be found,
They were lost for decades in this historic ground.
No monument or stone to mark their graves,
For these people, were merely slaves.
Our nation was built on cruel, hard facts,
As they toiled and labored with broken backs.
Hidden behind the master’s home,
Was a cabin of people not free to roam.
Opening the earth to our egregious past,
Reveals a people who are finally free at last.
The history isn’t just about President Jackson’s place,
But now includes their stories that mustn’t be erased.
— Vicki McClanahan,
Tennessee Valley EC
Tennessee, My Home
Born along the highland rim
Where rolling green hills collide
Running through the hidden hollers
And swinging on grape vines
The smell of cows and earthy mud
When the windows rolled down
While driving on winding back roads
In a small.forgotten town
Fireflies dancing in the summer dusk
While crickets chirp their nightly tune
If you are quiet for just a while
Youll hear dogs treeing racoons
The world may take me to and fro
But no matter where I roam
In my heart there will always be
Tennessee, my home
– Clay Cothron
Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation
Welcome Home
I think of that first morning …
Waking up to the sounds
Of unfamiliar bird song,
The soft,floral scents of
Early Tennessee summer
Streaming through the
Open window.
I think of those first sunsets …
Stillness on the front porch,
Marveling at the peace in the air,
As the world tucked itself in for sleep
Between the misty hills,
Humming itself a lullaby
Of rhythmic bird sounds.
And now,
Those sounds, those sights,
Have grown familiar,
Weaving their way
Into the fabric of my being,
Whispering softly at the close of the day
Welcome home.
– Erin Dominguez
Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation
Age 65 and older
Retired Teacher
Old Caney
I have seen him in the morning mist
The sun was on the rise:
His head erect; his ears alert;
His darting, watchful eyes.
I have seen him in the noonday sun
Under a clear blue sky —
Grazing on the sweet, green grass,
Yet ready to turn and fly.
I have seen him in the evening dusk
The sun sinking low —
His mighty rack a warning sign
His coat as white as snow.
Today he stands forever proud
Our awe of him is clear:
God’s magnificent creation,
Old Caney, the great, white deer.
— Brenda Brown, Duck River EMC
Tennessee Country Life
Tennessee Country Life
Train whistles blowing
Roosters crowing
Rivers flowing
Cattle lowing
Church bells ringing
Neighbors singing
Pockets jingling
Old folks lingering
Chickens laying
Farmers haying
Children playing
Families praying
Dogs barking
Sweethearts sparking
Teachers marking
Neighbors harking
Fireflies twinkling
Lights blinking
Bells tinkling
Raindrops sprinkling
tractors moving
Housewives doing
Kittens mewing
Doctors soothing
Yes, this is Tennessee country life
Sallie Barr
– Sallie Ba
Appalachian Electric Cooperative
A Tennessee Memory
O Tennessee
You are another word for home,
An endless river of gentle memories
For one who has been long gone.
Land of Crockett, Jackson and Presley,
Peaceful place of my childhood.
I went away, yet you remain in me,
An old man where once a boy stood.
I’ve known your verdant hills and misty hollows,
I followed that wooded path
To find solace in this world
Where promises are spoken but few last.
My Tennessee,
Wellspring of history, culture and songs,
Listen,for it beckons in a mere whisper,
“Come home, beloved son, where your heart belongs.”
– Gale Robinette
