Smith: Walking bridge was pure poetry

BRUNSWICK - If ever a structure were appropriately named, it is the Sidney Lanier Bridge, which spans the South Brunswick River on U.S. Highway 17. And if the bearded poet, a native Georgian, could stand at the crest of the mass of concrete and steel of the cable-stayed bridge and visually survey the marshes of Glynn, in both directions, he would surely be overcome by the view.

Since it was opened in 2003, I have crossed the bridge countless times, but I decided recently it was time to walk the four-lane thoroughfare in honor of the poet whose verses in "The Marshes of Glynn" and "The Song of the Chattahoochee" stimulate deep pride in being a native of this state.

Accompanying me was Anne Minter, the pretty wife of Jim Minter, the former editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Anne is an avid walker. Jim, like my wife, Myrna, has knee issues and chose to stay home while Anne and I got a cardiovascular stir with the bonus of a glorious view of this beautiful section of our state. Anne and Jim are wonderful hosts who not only enjoy laid-back living, but who also have curious minds and engaging conversational styles. We join them here for relaxation, but there is always something new to explore. St. Simons has a comforting allure. Breakneck construction has subsided, but whenever it regenerates, St. Simons will always be a place to idle.

While I don't have a bucket list, I always enjoy new experiences, even when it comes to old haunts. Coming here over the years, I have enjoyed climbing the lighthouse in the village and communing with the seagulls on the pier at the end of Mallery Street. Ever visit Little St. Simons? Most visitors skip it, but it is worth the boat trip over to see this enclave of nature, which once was inhabited by the Guale Indians who found peace and solitude among the countless red cedar trees. A descendant of one of t

Comment on "Smith: Walking bridge was pure poetry"