The Black Buggy

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 bggies can ride !t of the speeding traffic lane "ince cars# the $lain Fol% disdain d isdain A few drivers shot in anger as they drive &t a way of life is strggling to srvive 'oving at sch a slow gait We have no right to berate They have time and eyes to see (reen pastre 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 ,lods all of fleecy white To them# an amaing sight )iding in the open air  Wind rstles their hair  When the gas prices rise# It*s nothing in their eyes It*s partially a soltion To the crisis of polltion And they have never yet $aid car repair shop debt

For car insrance# no need .st a strdy horse to feed Families tal% as they roll along !r even share a happy song With +st a leisrely drive At their homes they arrive/ Usally 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 2ite 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 e4citing soap opera star5 6on*t even %now who they are For 0As the World World Trns#1 they don*t care Abot 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 Withot need for a special diet Amish lifestyle always inclde Hard wor% and wholesome food 'a%ep has never toched a face "infl pride wold be a disgrace Whether women be yong 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 thoght to be a sin Wars the 0English1 fight Wars  Not to them any delight (ives them nary a thrill  Nation*s enemies to %ill Wisdom Wisdom from above )e2ires godly love There*s no basis for dobt Amish try to carry that ot 0What if everybody felt that way51 "ome patriot ealot is sre to say Then newspaper wold all proclaim 0They gave a war and nobody came/1

(This particular Amish Amish community is fairly near my home. While some aspects of the life and belief of Plain Folk hae a certain appeal! it isn"t something that # recommend for others or intend to adopt myself. They insist on an unreasonable degree of uniformity een in matters $here the Bible contains no detailed directies. %ecisions of their elders can be capricious and inconsistent from one community to another. &any young Amish Amish are turning a$ay from the lifestyle! resulting in shunning. There are often seere genetic problems due to intermarriage.'