By Ken Gibbs

Page through the tale of Bridgton

The history of a rural town,

Find a long preface of pleasant hills,

Swift streams, glacial ponds,

Forests of wild cherry, pine, oak,

Stands of long-forgotten chestnut,

Paths of vanished native folk.

Then, a new chapter, a settler’s dream

Of Pondicherry in Maine, and the wilds

Of Pickwockett transformed by Moody Bridges.

Soon the streams run through busy wheels

Or are dammed to float the harvested woods;

Bridgton is now shaped by factories, stores,

The handiwork of Perley, Gibbs, Stevens;

Commerce the subtitle for the Town,

Progress the headline in the News.

Some buds appear among the rapid growth —

An opera house, the creative palate of Rufus Porter.

Turn the page, the busyness recedes,

Like a dry spell after a wet spring.

But, there is moisture in the air

Refreshing the bright streams, circling the ponds

With bracelets of summer homes,

Bringing trails of snow to Pleasant Mountain

And shops, restaurants, destinations for

Vacationers fit for every season,

The newest chapter titled, “Bridgton: Love Always.”