Fairy Woods, Nichols Arboretum. Photo credit: C. Finch.

by Stephan Soloman

Here is where the Huron welcomes all who come to see
Where Shakespeare comes alive again amongst the hickories
Follow close the peonies each year better than before
And enter fast a magic world behind a fairy door.

Take in all the giggles, smiles, laughter at the Dairy
Come on in and take a guess which flavors that they carry
Fill your belly to the brim with sweetened icy treats
While watching people come and go along our lovely streets.

There’s a house I’m sure you know of course not far away
Which can be heard and even seen on almost every day
The people who do live there have a strange obsession too
When you walk on by they always yell at you “Go Blue!”

Sometimes little chalky creatures say hello from tiny spaces
You only have to take a look in all the cozy places
A million things to see and do when in our little town
Just open up your eyes and go and take a look around.

Sit down at that typewriter and write some famous words
When you’re in this bookstore no one thinks that seems absurd
Once you’ve typed your masterpiece–your opus–your finale
Stroll on down and stick some gum in our graffiti alley.

On the Diag if you’re lucky washboard music soothes the air
While squirrels the size of dogs practice their hungry begging prayer
Lose some coin at Pinball Pete’s–his place is on South U.
His jolly crew don’t mind the least to take a bit off you.

You might also see some puppets walking up and down the street
A festival for fools that all the children think’s quite neat
We celebrate creation–the unique, the odd, the weird
It’s all these little things which to our heart become endeared.

If I wrote ‘bout everything it would surely take all year
And really there just isn’t space for every word in here
The magic that resides in Paris, Berlin, even Rome
Is nothing near the magic of the place that I call home.

 

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Stephan Soloman is an Ann-Arbor based elementary teacher and writer who can usually be found writing poems for children when he’s not busy teaching them. This poem, “Home,” is a simple expression of what makes Ann Arbor such a special place to love–the quirks, the sights, the creativity, and most importantly the people.

 

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This is an original poem, brought to you by Poet Tree Town, an Ann Arbor-based poetry-in-public initiative and celebration of local Washtenaw poets. Find out more about Poet Tree Town on Instagram and Facebook, or say hello at [email protected].