some sort of homecoming

Sitting in the metal bleachers at the high school,
Homecoming night football game,
Watching the boy march and cheering the home team.
Announcer welcomed all the grads,
Maybe just a handful there-
But I grew up somewheres else.
What would my homecoming be like,
A hundred miles to the east,
Nineteen years after the fact.
Would I see familiar faces amongst the crowd,
Or has everyone moved on and out
To bigger and better things?
Would my return be triumphant,
Or would I be ashamed of who I am,
Whatever it is I think I have become?
Why do I even care for their opinions?
What would it matter either way?
People and places from long ago,
Only hold sway because I allow it,
I give them power over what I think.
In the end I don’t think it matters,
crowd at my son’s school is the same,
no different from the one at mine.
The kids are pretty much the same,
No matter where you are on this continent.
The demographics might not support it,
But our world continues to get smaller,
Kids are pretty much the same from wherever.
Thanks to cable and the internet,
Homogenization crossing barriers all over,
Good and bad just like everything else.
Hip-hop nation in the suburbs of Detroit,
Just like Toronto or New York City,
Sameness and mass conformity everywhere.
But the truth is that we are all the same,
We have our different languages and traditions,
Different religions and foods.
Underneath it all we are just the same,
We all move along at a similar pace,
Going along with our institutions.
Not good or bad—maybe a little of both,
No judgment just stating the facts,
Showing why I do not need to go back.
Bible stories and works by Shakespeare,
Greek tragedies and comedies,
Written by people long since dead,
Still ring true somehow.
Somehow we have not changed that much,
The poets and sages of yesteryear understood,
Knew that human nature is the same everywhere.
I am not the prodigal son,
My return would not be ignominious or victorious,
There is nothing to be gained in that journey.
My home is right here right now,
Wherever that may be--I am here,
No homecoming is needed when I never left.

misting rain

Right place wrong time same story as ever before,
Misty rain coats my brand new hoodie,
Lights flood the field Friday night football,
Toddler in tow pre-teen walking talking with friends,
My high schooler sitting with the band all suited up.
Drumbeats sound much the same as before,
But now they know now they have been told,
Not gonna stress about that for now too much,
Too much on my heaping plate,
Gotta gain strength and momentum for the next wave.
There is disagreement about the cadence,
Music director trying to get technical on me,
That’s alright that’s o.k. keep playing and see,
See what happens when Nokomis decides to call in AIM,
Gonna have some real redskins in your house.
Its on you you been told don’t blame me,
Someone’s gonna have to show you how its done,
Don’t give me no crap about studying us back-in-the-day,
We been studying you from the very first,
Hairy light stinking strangers out of the east.
You play your role I’ll play mine its understood,
Gonna take some time gonna be a process,
So I’ll ride this wave tuck my knees wave my arms,
Do what I must to stay afloat to stay above the water,
Gonna keep on keeping on keep on living and enjoying.
This place gets so packed so many kids so many people,
Good kinda energy reminds me of my youth,
I’m sitting here breathing it all in and enjoying,
Possibilities so many possibilities and we’re all here,
Having fun poking fun watching the football game.