I'm no poet, but I thought I'd pay tribute to my town of residence for the past year or so, which I'll soon be leaving. I'm sure that I have butchered the meter of the poem, but I think I at least got the rhyme sequence correct for an ode. Here it goes:
Oh Mexico Beach, thy essence is a lost art,
A feat long vanished in this age of appearance,
No corporation can conquer you, not even Wal-Mart,
Against the tide of conformity you display perseverance,
While beaches further west brim with toned bronze bodies
Oiled and liquored and anxiously hunting,
Their beach is but a stage, not a treasure to be enjoyed,
But not your plump vacationers, not afraid to appear shoddy!
Sleeping and reading and lazily fishing,
Their beach offers free respite for all, even the unemployed
Some naysayers will decry your sometimes-foul smell,
While others will protest your oppressive humidity
Combined with the tawdriness of El Governor Motel
And dead sea creatures lying amidst your weak waves’ turbidity,
But none of these detractors can overcome your charm,
Not the mosquitoes or cockroaches, though they come in legions,
For yours is a brand not designed for the crowd,
Besides, I hear that black mold doesn’t cause any harm,
And Toucan’s can cure it, no matter the season,
Mexico Beach you would make Hemingway quite proud
