McLaughlins in poetry

in Dolgeville New York
in the next town north
of the place where I grew up
of the place that I call home
there used to be a store
called McLaughlins

I don’t even remember what it sold
I think maybe it was women’s clothes
it closed when I was just a kid or so

things aren’t great in Dolgeville
Dolgeville is a little farm town
in an age when little farm towns
in the rural Northeast
aren’t what they used to be
hence why McLaughlins closed
I do suppose

the storefront still has signage
though now it may be storage
though now it may be apartments
but a few years ago
someone took some of the letters
from the word McLaughlins
someone took roughly half
what was once a store called
“McLaughlins”
is now just a partial sign
that says “Laugh”

this all just reminds me
that what you have to do
despite the hardships
laugh
despite the losses
laugh
make the best of the situation
make something beautiful
from the things that time has left
laugh
laugh when you can laugh

Last updated July 25, 2016