‘Has Been, Colorado’
Have you heard of the Aspen of old
When snow fell in winter and days were cold
When the fragrance of summer was spruce and pines
And the streets were dirt, without any stop signs
Have you seen the Aspen of today
It’s hard to do with cars in the way
And so many people milling around
Oh, what became of this little town
When more and more is never enough
When prices soar for even the cheapest stuff
When traffic into town has no visible end
When traffic out stretches past Original bend
Then Aspen ain’t Aspen at all anymore
Her beauty’s been sold, like a silver era whore
And locals and tourists are all out of luck
What once cost a dime now costs more than a buck
This summer Aspen has succumbed to greed
A tragedy of beauty, Aspen’s obit will read
Wherever you’re from, across the nation
Prepare to be stressed by an Aspen vacation
You might tell me, if you don’t like it, leave
And I won’t disagree because I do believe
I’m a newcomer around these here parts
1955 is when my Aspen story starts
I miss a lot from those bygone times
There was no traffic, no carping in rhymes
Aspen was simply a simpler place
And yep, there was always a parking space
Greg Lewis
Woody Creek
