The Two Oregons

                        THE TWO OREGONS

West of the Cascades-verdant, flowing, fertile, teeming
Settlers who clamored for a spot
A claim, some acreage, a vineyard, a plot
Fur traders, trappers, and missionaries beaming

West of the Cascades, and out to the sea
Thick with forest primeval
Views of the Pacific that are unbelievable
We flock to the coast in the 21st century

East of the Cascades- though arid and extreme, the rivers wind
Deer, elk, chukar, quail
Cold, heat, wind, hail
Twisting the occasional ponderosa pine

East of the Cascades-attracted a different sort of migrant
Cowboy, Rancher, Waggoneer, Basque
Each with a dream, a mission, a task
Worshipping, laboring, creative and vibrant

West of the Cascades-mindful of its footprint, a heart for ecology
All races, creeds, colors, orientations
Its people hail from every nation
A melting pot of technology

East of the Cascades-rugged, proud, traditional, swearing
That they are outnumbered, considering escaping
Desperate ideas about statehood reshaping
But no less charitable, altruistic, and caring

The Cascades-our beautiful, abundant, awe-inspiring spine
Peopled on both sides by those well-meaning yet extreme
Dotted with volcanic peaks, lakes, and streams
Let it serve-not to separate, but to combine