She’ll always be the long road home
An epic adventure too few are brave enough to traverse
She’s built with brambles around her heart
Paths with steep cliffs
Dangerous beasts guard her doors
Too few have even tried
None have had the heart
To truly tame
To truly understand her
After so many years of rebuilding
And finding her worth
Her heart laid dormant
Pieced together
Repaired and mended
As best she could on her own
Until the day he set out along that long road
On his way back to her
He didn’t know what he would find
It was a treacherous path he traveled
He only knew that the boy he was years ago
Wasn’t capable of understanding her fire
And now all these years later
It had taken just one look
To realize she was all he’d ever need
She beckoned him like a siren
Calling out and daring him to be the one
He carried honesty and consistency as his only weapons
He wielded them with care
As he cut through the brambles
All of the beasts stepped aside
They bowed as he passed
The walls guarding her heart
Crumbled down as he approached
They toppled over and over
Down the high cliffs and
Into the ocean of her past
With a deep breath
She slowly crept over the rubble that remained
It was time to take the leap
He held his arms wide open
She sighed as they surrounded her
Grateful. Awed. Blessed.
His embrace was the balm she’d needed
She knew he’d treasure her heart
And keep it safe
Published by evelinawood
I was lucky to have been born in the Hudson Valley, NY. My heart lies buried deep in my roots: the tract of immense acreage from New York City to the Adirondacks that is a treasure trove of American History beginning with the Native Indian tribes of the Algonquin and Iroquois to colonization, the Revolutionary War, to the Industrial Age and right up through to modern times. It is an area that has experienced profound change, yet still retains its majestic beauty.
I fell in love with Hudson Valley history at a young age. My hometown alone has three historic sites: the homes of Franklin D Roosevelt, the Vanderbilts and the Livingston Mills. As a young girl I imagined myself as a part of these homes and I was lucky to have teachers who flamed my passions for local history; they created an insatiable curiosity that has followed me throughout my life; inspiring me to learn more about all of the people who came before me.
My favorite time period is the Edwardian Era: the time of robber barons, railroad magnates and gilded lifestyles, encompassing the end of the Victorian Era until the First World War. Those who had money flaunted it profusely, and those who didn't suffered in unimaginable ways. The Hudson Valley experienced the contrast directly with the immense mansions built along the shores of the Hudson River to the immigrants arriving in New York City to make a new life in the United States.
My blog will provide glimpses of life in the Hudson Valley during this time by drawing on the historical research I am always working with and through the snippets of stories I am writing. I hope that my blog brings you enjoyment and a new perspective on a beautiful area so important to American History. Happy reading and thank you for taking the time to visit me!
View all posts by evelinawood
Evelina Wood 