Meet at the Grange

Let’s all meet at the Grange
history abounds in this country house
meeting and dancing hall.

Going far back in time
Scotland Grange House 1564,
leveled in 1906.

Grange No.1 in Fredonia 1868
from secret to public
benefit the greater rural good
non-partisan. Welcome co-ops, mail service,
temperance and suffragettes.
Help farmers grow their farms
ranchers with livestock, homesteaders
being for the benefit
of the bucolic community.

A center for rural fellowship
real country music.
Rose Maddox, The Dooley Brothers
the ghosts of Woody Guthrie
and Hank Williams.
Voices of the land
fiddling, banjos, guitars.
Square dances, dare we say
hootenannies.

Local farms decline
the great corporate land swallowing.
Granges shuttered and dusty
few lights still shine, over wooden steps
we can walk right up. Open the door
greeted by lilting old-time country notes,
dancers dancing, let’s all meet
at the Grange.

– ©Christopher Nielsen 2018
– image – The Fairfax Grange
©Christopher Nielsen 2017