To lift our spirits and give us a smile, Knoxville Poet Laureate Marilyn Kallet has penned a new piece, “State of the City: Green, Greener.”
Kallet reminds us that, regardless of the public safety safeguards in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, Knoxville in bloom each spring is dependably, faithfully and uniquely beautiful. So get outside, and savor the lushness.
You can read the full poem below or hear it, in Kallet's own words, in the video above.
Knoxville's State of the City: Green, Greener
1.
We’re cloistered at home
today, but our city
blossoms around us, and
in us, love for home.
Other cities may turn envy-green
When they glimpse
Our flourishing greenscapes, our
maples and sassafras, silky
dogwoods and blousy magnolias,
brazen you’re-not-from-around-
here-are-you? crepe myrtle.
Knoxville Botanical Gardens
Blossoms all the while
We shelter. We persevere.
Our Sunsphere, our views
Of the foothills don’t fade.
“Knoxville is so green!” visitors say.
Mockingbirds and bluejays agree.
The sky has told them
Not to worry.
Follow city guidelines
And you won’t be winging it,
But living long and well
In our town.
2.
Even when we sleep, our city grows
Greener, with parks and
Wilderness trailheads flourishing.
“Keep Knoxville Beautiful”
Is a plan, not just a dream.
Ask those who won the orchid
Contest. Ask the artists
Who stir imaginations,
Lend their vivid colors
To the city’s alleys and outdoor spaces.
Market Square murals call our spirits
With their vibrant brushstrokes.
Dolly’s face brightens a brick wall, and the
Augusta Avenue ensemble welcomes
Everyone.
There will be more art and
Innovation,
As time rolls on,
Past fear.
For now, we’ll create
Safely, in place,
Masterpieces at home,
Or laughing stick figures
In trailhead dirt.
3.
Green is the bridge
Mayor Kincannon traversed
With Mayor Rogero.
Continuity lights the way.
The city aims
To keep our community safe,
“From a Distance”
Is our chorus, our necessary theme.
We know that Market Square will bustle,
Be the envy
Of other cities again.
In the mean time (mean time!)
We stay hunkered down,
Cautious.
Still, neighbors are helping
Neighbors. Maple Street Biscuit
Bundles emergency meals
For kids and families.
We’re good at sheltering
In good hands,
With updated info
In a well-scrubbed grasp.
The state of our city depends
On all of us
Using our brains.
Virtually, if we can.
Good minds are hard at work,
Distancing, online.
Writing real letters
To our loved ones again.
4.
All but vital stores
stay closed,
For a time. Let’s take more
Walks, keep six feet
Of loving distance between us.
Canned beans, pickled ‘maters,
Grandma’s recipes
Will see us through this.
The state of the city is smart
And kind, at home in us.
We’ll check on our elderly neighbors
By email.
Wave to them
Through the glass.
We’re in this together,
Not singing from
Balconies, but from trails and
Laptops. Germs don’t know
Who’s a Big Wig or a clown.
So we’re staying in, wiping
Surfaces clean.
Love is never having to
Sneeze
Near someone else.
Consideration and tolerance
Are not quarantined.
Our beloved Phyllis Wheatley Y
Won’t always be closed.
Diversity is not for a day––
It’s a race for always.
Coda:
We love you, Knoxville smart,
Green.
Our daughter Heather was born at UT Medical,
Went to Bearden and West High,
Then NCSA and Northwestern.
Why can’t I brag?
Didn’t she get her start
In Knoxville public schools?
Heather judges the friendliness
Of every other city
By Knoxville’s tone. Today,
Our friendly arms are gently folded.
Yassin’s Friendliest Face
Stays with us, in spirit.
The dogwood trails
Shed petal
Memos on the walks:
You are not alone, Love, Beauty.
The trees are rustling,
Come back!
The state of the city is hope.
May it stay healthy and ever-green.
We love you, Knoxville, your
Pervasive good will.
Toiling separately,
At a mindful distance, we are
Working together, one strong,
resilient neighborhood!