Galena: A Once Was Time

There was a time in Galena Quiet main street was paved with red bricks. Skies were a wonderful blue Even as the air smelled of lead From our smelter smokestack. A cowboy double feature at The Maywood Theatre With a cartoon in the middle All for a quarter. Saturday days sidewalks were busy at The Golden Rule The big door open at the fire station. A tall standpipe towering in the distance Boys on bicycles with chunks of found lead and marbles in their pockets. Older boys going home after a day of cutting cattails Their girlfriends ironing clothes for the night's drive-in movie. Families with last names going way back to boom lead mining times Settling in for an evening at home Watching TV and snacking on homemade divinity with pecans. The evening cool and talk happy and polite Great sleeping weather.

There was a time... in Galena

--By Bryce Martin