Typewriter Rodeo: Preservation

Each week, the Standard reaches out to Austin’s Typewriter Rodeo for a custom poem on Texas topics.

By Jodi EgertonMarch 20, 2020 1:42 pm,

So much is changing in cities across Texas as the state grows and evolves. But the past can feel alive in old structures and homes that haven’t been torn down to make way for what’s new. For some, those structures bring comfort, and that was the inspiration for this week’s Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Preservation

These old houses

have strong bones

Built of hand hewn Texas wood

Aged over the last century

Watching the changes overtake our city

Cranes and construction cones

Replacing wide open lanes

 

These old houses

remember

They share stories through windows and

sleek slanted roofs

They invite laughter

conversation

and memories

 

These old houses

welcome our visits

Beckoning us in with intricate doors

Creating space for connection with

Cozy fireplaces and

comfy reading nooks

 

These old houses

shine

their personality rich and storied

their mark on our city bold

and memorable

Come in

sit down

Welcome home

 

Produced by Laura Rice.