The Black Buggy

By Elton Camp
North on Highway Forty-Three
Up into the state of Tennessee
Ethridge is the name of the place
A colony of the Amish embrace
Wide gravel lanes to the side
Is where the bggies can ride
!t of the speeding traffic lane
"ince cars# the $lain Fol% disdain
A few drivers shot in anger as they drive
&t a way of life is strggling to srvive
'oving at sch a slow gait
We have no right to berate
They have time and eyes to see
(reen pastre and passing tree
)oadside flowers in finest array
They*re able to en+oy every day
A ma+estic haw% perched high
,ar drivers miss speeding by
,lods all of fleecy white
To them# an ama-ing sight
)iding in the open air
Wind rstles their hair
When the gas prices rise#
It*s nothing in their eyes
It*s partially a soltion
To the crisis of polltion
And they have never yet
$aid car repair shop debt
For car insrance# no need
.st a strdy horse to feed
Families tal% as they roll along
!r even share a happy song
With +st a leisrely drive
At their homes they arrive/
Usally clean# painted white
Not any electric line in sight
"o they never have reason to deplore
When the electric board says# 0'ore/1
'st be 2ite a thrill
$aying no tility bill
$erhaps the best thing yet
Is the absence of a T3 set
!prah is to them n%nown
'T3 to Amish isn*t shown
New# e4citing soap opera star5
6on*t even %now who they are
For 0As the World Trns#1 they don*t care
Abot the leading character*s latest affair
$lain Fol% have no reason to fear
Their clothes not in style ne4t year
For persons dressed in basic blac%
!f 0name brands1 feel no lac%
Their weight stays +st right
Withot need for a special diet
Amish lifestyle always inclde
Hard wor% and wholesome food
'a%ep has never toched a face
"infl pride wold be a disgrace
Whether women be yong or old
No nec% or ears dec%ed with gold
It*s felt to be very wrong
Unless her hair stays long
No woman can be discovered
Who has her head ncovered
&eards on the married men
Its absence thoght to be a sin
Wars the 0English1 fight
Not to them any delight
(ives them nary a thrill
Nation*s enemies to %ill
Wisdom from above
)e2ires godly love
There*s no basis for dobt
Amish try to carry that ot
0What if everybody felt that way51
"ome patriot -ealot is sre to say
Then newspaper wold all proclaim
0They gave a war and nobody came/1
(This particular Amish community is fairly near my home. While some aspects of
the life and belief of Plain Folk hae a certain appeal! it isn"t something that #
recommend for others or intend to adopt myself. They insist on an unreasonable
degree of uniformity een in matters $here the Bible contains no detailed directies.
%ecisions of their elders can be capricious and inconsistent from one community to
another. &any young Amish are turning a$ay from the lifestyle! resulting in
shunning. There are often seere genetic problems due to intermarriage.'