In 2017 I was sojourning in Ambleside.  The American style B & B was named Compston House.  I happened to be in the Pennsylvanian Suite which was well facilitated and included sufficient reading material — including information about Pennsylvania.  From these facts and figures I extracted the following rhyming verse.  (The second and third in the trio are ‘Wrynose Pass’ and ‘Cumbria’ respectfully).

Pennsylvania

(The Keystone State)

With a population @ 12, 000, 000

And total area over 46k square miles

Pennsylvania is really quite large

With many couples walking down the aisles

Its chief industries are all interesting

Biotechnology and advanced manufacturing

Agribusiness and travel & tourism

Health care and printing & publishing

Corn is one of Pennsylvania’s chief crops

As also is hay and mushrooms as it goes

What has to be more important than these

Are winter wheat, apples and potatoes

A state motto is always a good thing to have

Stirring courage and feelings of belongingness

You may have one, or know one, or able to quote one

Pennsylvania’s is: “Virtue, Liberty and Independence”

Pennsylvania’s state flower is the Mountain Laurel

Research their medicinal information

And its state bird is the Ruffed Grouse

Also known as the Prairie Chicken

There are famous Pennsylvanians too

Including Perry Como and Grace Kelly

And Andy Wharhol and Grace Kelly

Benjamin Franklin and Jimmy Stewart

Click here for a musical version of Pennsylvania

Michael Bobb

August 2017 and 2019