Celebrating a History of Primland

Written for and Presented during the Grand Opening of the Lodge and Spa at Primland, August 2009

THIS WAS THE HOME OF NATIVE SONS AND DAUGHTERS
WHERE NATURE FLOURISHED BY CRYSTAL CLEAR WATERS
A BEAUTIFUL BLUE RIDGE OVERFLOWING WITH LIFE
EXPLORED CENTURIES AGO BY BOW AND ARROW, AND KNIFE

A DIVINE INSPIRATION OF EONS AGO
GOD SMILED AT HIS WORK FROM THE BLUE RIDGE BELOW
SETTLERS CAME AND STRUGGLED, STRONG WINDS WOULD BLOW
CROPS WERE HARVESTED, CORN LIQUOR WOULD FLOW

YOU MIGHT THINK IT A RANDOM, UNLIKELY CONNECTION
SUCH A WORLDLY SOUL WOULD ARRIVE FROM A DISTANT DIRECTION
THAT ONE DIDIER PRIMAT OF GENEVA WOULD FIND HIS WAY HERE
A GREAT CANVAS OF LAND AWAITED AS THE ARTIST APPEARED

AND IN ‘77, THIS GIANT OF A MAN SET TO WORK
HE PURCHASED THIS LAND COMMENCING SLOWLY AT FIRST
ABOVE ALL NATURE WAS CHERISHED—IT WOULD EVER REMAIN SO
AS KINDRED SOULS WILL DISCOVER UP ON BUSTED ROCK ROAD

IT BEGAN WITH AN IDEA—HIS REMARKABLE VISION TO UNFOLD
PRIMLAND WAS BORN, IT WAS BIG AND IT WAS BOLD
HE INTRODUCED PRIMAT’S TO VIRGINIA AS FAMILY STORIES WERE TOLD
A GLIMPSE OF THIS FUTURE WAS THEIRS TO BEHOLD

PRIMLUMBER WAS BORN IN 1977
BUNDLES OF ‘PRIMWOOD SOLD IN 7/11’S
A HUMBLE BEGINNING FOR A PLACE OF SUCH MEASURE
TIMBER CAREFULLY SELECTED, EACH TREE A TREASURE

TRAILS WERE BLAZED, A FEW ROADS WERE CARVED OUT
JOBS WERE CREATED TO ALLAY LOCAL DOUBT
HUNTING AND SHOOTING BECAME OUR FIRST SPORTS
THEN AS ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER, A RESORT

ROADS WERE BUILT AND TALENT WAS SOURCED
DONALD STEEL CAME ALONG, DESIGNING A COURSE
BECAUSE HUNTERS MIGHT LIKE TO PLAY A ROUND OR TWO
OF GOLF, DIFFICULT AND LONG WITH AN AMAZING VIEW

THE NAME PRIMLAND WAS INTRO’D IN LATE ‘86
THE FUTURE WAS BRIGHT WITH GOLF IN THE MIX
WE WOULD NEED WATER FOR FAIRWAYS AND GREENS
AND SEWERS AND TANKS AND IRRIGATION MACHINES

THEN THE GOLFERS AND HUNTERS NEEDED SOME PLACE TO STAY
AN IDEA FOR A LODGE SAW ITS FIRST LIGHT OF DAY
DIDIER PRIMAT DESIGNED IT TO FIT THESE SURROUNDINGS
A CATHEDRAL OF PRIMAT BUILT AMIDST NATURE ABOUNDING

ELEGANT STYLE AND A DESIGN TRULY RESPLENDENT
FOR TIME AWAY IN THE MOUNTAINS
A HEAVENLY SETTING TO SPEND IT
UP ON THE BLUE RIDGE IN STYLE EVEN TOURS OF THE SKY
FROM DIDIER’S TELESCOPE IN A DOME WAY UP HIGH

ON THE DAY OF MR. PRIMAT’S PREMATURE PASSING AWAY
BEGAN THUS A TIME OF MOURNING AND SADNESS
A CELEBRATION OF HIS GREATNESS, A NEW DAY
IN HIS CHILDRENS’ HANDS PRIMLAND REWORKED IN A NEW PRIMLAND WAY

A GIFT AND A CHALLENGE HIS BOLD LEGACY
REQUIRING THE SUDDEN ENGAGEMENT OF HIS PROGENY
THESE HILLS WILL REMEMBER WHAT HE BROUGHT TO THIS PLACE
TO THIS RIDGE ONCE JUST FARMLAND AND ACRES OF TREES

AND PEOPLE WILL COME IN SEARCH OF PEACEFULNESS HERE
INSPIRED BY NATURE, A LODGE RARE AND DEAR
HOSPITALITY WILL GROW, WE WILL WELCOME EACH GUEST
TO THIS REMARKABLE PLACE FOR RECREATION AND REST

© Copyright 2009 Brooks Bradbury, BrooksLooks