As the holiday season approaches, one is reminded of a time of gathering with friends and family. You may be young or ‘older,’ travel near or far, but memories of home return. Edgar A. Guest stated, “So at last I think we always come to see that the hometown, whether it be a great city or humble one, takes its place in the mind and the imagination as the best spot on earth”.
It doesn’t matter much be its buildings great or small,
The hometown, the hometown is the best town, after all.
The cities of the millions have the sun and stars above,
But they lack the friendly faces of the few you’ve learned to love,
And with all their pomp of riches and with all their teeming throngs,
The heart of a person is rooted in the town where they belong.
There are places good to visit, there are cities fair to see,
There are haunts of charm and beauty where at times it’s good to be,
But the humblest little hamlet sings a melody to some,
And no matter where they travel it is calling them to come;
Though cities rise to greatness and are rich with opulent dress,
There is something in the hometown which no other towns possess.
The hometown has a treasure which the distance cannot gain,
It is there the hearts are kindest, there the gentlest friends remain;
It is there a mystic something seems to permeate the air
To set the weary wanderer to wishing they were there;
And be it great or humble, it still holds mankind in thrall,
For the hometown, the hometown, is the best town after all.
