‘Blake’s Prairie Fair’ by Bob Schildgen

Cotton candy is, yes, is angel hair
spun out while merry-go-rounds whirl full-speed
with satisfaction fully guaranteed
in the local splendor of Blake’s Prairie Fair.

Surely the most pageant-magic carnival
since ’17, when Carrie Nation broke
whiskey bottles, and poor old Bryan spoke
silver-tongued on Charles Darwin’s downfall.

The world was bigger. Ferris wheels were taller,
in all those lost Blake’s Prairie days, my dear:
You fueled your laughter with a nickel beer,
and bought a plot in heaven for a dollar.

Bob Schildgen is a poet and environmental writer who was managing editor of Sierra, the national magazine of the Sierra Club from 1997 to 2005. For 15 years he was author of a popular column and blogs, “Hey Mr. Green,” and published a collection of the columns in 2008.