NEW Youngstown

NEW Youngstown
by T.L. Mayle © 2005

No more dwelling on the past
That kind of mindset won’t last
They may have been the Glory Days
But now it’s time for a change

And I think you would agree
We’ve had our fill of apathy
Listen up, young and old
We have a future to behold

If you don’t see the potential
In the place you’re residential
You might have the blues and bummers
Listen, natives and newcomers:

There’s the Youngstown Symphony
And Funny Farm Comedy
The Monday Musical Club
The Youngstown Playhouse and pubs

We’re the home of Warner Brothers
(No, they didn’t come from Struthers)
We got Stambaugh, we got Powers
And long summer daylight hours

Gloomy winters we may curse,
But eleven states have got it worse!
We have affordable houses
And the schools aren’t overcrowded

There’s so much we take for granted
In the places that we’re planted
Spend the day at Mill Creek Park
The Butler Institute of Art

And if you happen to get lost
You can always play golf!
If you’re into thrills and speed
There’s Cedar Point in Sandusky

And just one hour away
The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame
Or if your love is football
Check out Canton’s famous Hall

The country’s most affordable?
Youngstown – Warren - Boardman
The Top 100 places to live was just revealed
Number 82 on the list? Canfield!

No one can hold a candle
To the ice cream from Handels
And the fireworks we see
Are even better than DC’s

Phil Keaggy, Ray Mancini
Musicians, actors, athletes
Jim Tressel, Bernie Kosar
Ed O’Neill – our hometown stars

Seen the Penguins on the street?
YSU’s great football team?
And the Dana School of Music
No musician can refuse it

Been downtown for ‘First Night?’
Seen Federal Plaza’s tree lights?
Have you seen the gems and treasures
Of the business architecture?

And new buildings, even better
Like the Convocation Center
We might call ourselves progressive,
Optimistic and impressive!

We’ve got family, traditions,
Opportunity and vision
There’s still a little ways to go
And new leadership will show

That our bright future’s even nearer
So let go of the rear view mirror
Respect our history, but live here now
Let’s make our home a
New Youngstown!

Tracy Mayle wrote the poem several years ago when she was volunteering for Youngstown 2010. She read it at the Festival of the Arts downtown in July 2005 and it won 2nd place. I share with all...