The Invitation

The Midwest is a place where roots run deep. Many of us who live here have heard stories about how our ancestors first came to this land. Though the life of the pioneer is sometimes romanticized, life here was fraught with danger and peril. Those who carved out lives here had to struggle in a land that was both beautiful and unforgiving, a land that could bear a harvest, yet be unpredictable and harsh. Still, even in these difficult conditions, a great love emerged for this land, born from the belief that great things were possible here. The people who lived here, from the Native Americans to the pioneers, believed that this land held within it the power to transform lives; our forebears found a home on this land and in turn, the land found a home in our hearts and souls. These poems are inspired by this deep connection. Though we live in a different world today, there are still remnants of those days to be found. WE can still hear their voices, if our hearts are open.