If You’re Not From Vermont

If You’re Not From Vermont

If you’re not from Vermont,
You haven’t ever smelled fresh air.
You’ve never smelled that smell.
You don’t know maple syrup.
You don’t know that sweet, thick goo,
You’ve never felt that cold, face-whipping wind
Just smacking your face.
You have no idea what cold is,
Freezing cold temperatures,
Below zero temperatures.

If you’re not from Vermont,
You don’t know rain.
Oh, that smell!
There’s no way.
You don’t know the mud afterwards.
You don’t know what animals are like.
You don’t know what it’s like to have animals everywhere around you.
You don’t know the fun you have when you’re with animals.

My hair is flowing like the leaves gently falling down.
My face is pink-red from the freezing, below-zero temperatures.
My lungs are filled with the sweet, fresh air.
This is my home,
The home God gave me.