Current Issue -

The Hidden Gem

By Hudson Delaney, age 13 | Spring 2026 Inspire(d)

A place where Iowa’s cornfields meet the bluffs,

And ancient rock remembers glacial scuffs,

Lies the town of Decorah, a place of greens and golds,

Where stories are whispered, centuries old.

A place where Dunning’s Spring spills a cold cascade,

And where lush trees provide both fun and shade,

Trout Run Creek winds, a ribbon bright and clear,

And where anglers seek solace, year after year.

So breathe the air where Norwegian ghosts reside,

And feel the breath of this dear countryside,

Decorah, a place where history meets the green,

A small town beauty, truly serene,

The towering bluffs now shiftless,

That’s the hidden gem of the Driftless.

Hudson Delaney


Hudson is in seventh grade and enjoys doing many things like running, singing, listening to music, designing, spending time with his family and friends, swimming, and participating in Mock Trial.

    We created Future Focused, a new Inspire(d) column written by pre-teens and teens, to help give the next generation an opportunity to share their voices. Partnering with Dana Hogan, the Extended Learning Program teacher at Decorah Middle School, we offered prompts around the question, “What feels like home?” Students submitted some really great work, and five were chosen for this Inspire(d). You can read all the Future Focused pieces published so far at iloveinspired.com/category/future-focused. Here’s to Listening to the Next Generation! – Aryn

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