At the Old Folks Home

thing that is attractive is that spirit of solving problems and figuring out what needs to be done. Alive m that [spirit] is the closeness to the land. In a fundamental way, the heritage of the land is not a heritage of super-consumerism; it's a spirit ofphysical beauty and taking only what [is needed] from the land. These are the things I value about the mountains." A sociology graduate of Minnesota's Carleton College, Brosi has worked for the Council of the Southern Mountains, Save Our Cumberland Mountains, Vocations for Social Change, the General Convention Youth Program of the Episcopal Church, and the Mountain Community Union. In keeping with his activist character, Brosi appreciates the power of literature to affect society's way of thinking. "I like sharing experiences people have had through books. For example, Education of Little Tree [by Forest Carter] has changed people's thinking about the environment,' he says. "Reading books is a way to emphasize, to put yourself in someone else's shoes, which is fun and valuable, stimulating and interesting," says Brosi. "It helps people get along better with each other. I like that part best." Denise Giardina, author of the nationally acclaimed novel Storming Heaven, was born in West Virginia and until recently lived in Floyd County, Kentucky . As an Appalachian native herself, Giardina values Brosi as one of the region's treasures, describing him as "real humorous, easy going, and fun to talk to. He knows the region well, in politics as well as literature, and he is dedicated to what he is doing At the Old Folks Home So now you know. This is where we old coal miners come. Maloney Home. Oh it's not so bad. The sisters . . . they feed us well. Nurse us when we're sick. Bury us when it's time. But here's the joke. Somewhere in the bowels of this building A boiler room works day and night To keep us warm. That boiler runs on coal. But they won't let me go down there. I who know so much about those black rocks. They won't let me go down there anymore. They say I might get hurt That's the joke. -Richard B. Patterson 15 ...