Woody Guthrie wrote what he saw, felt, and
knew. He was often a voice for those who didn't have one.
Old Jake’s place on fifteenth street
best place ‘round to get your meat
Bessie’s shop was just a shack
pies sure keep 'em comin’ back
Farmer Ben at edge of town
real fresh produce his renown
big shots runnin’ this here place
{ town needs a 'big box' - pick up the pace! }
and come they did - huge stores by night
banished them good folk plain outta sight
Folks, hear my sad tale, sing my sad song
a sign of the times, gone terrible wrong
Your use of colloquial language is so in keeping with Guthrie's narratives and it is tragic how big business drove the small producers out of their own livelihoods and came with a loss of quality and integrity.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kerry ... I can hear Woody singing this!
DeleteGreat lament of the death of small shops.. so sad... I don't know why but I got vibes from Maggie's farm in this... probably the voice you use that works that with me.
ReplyDelete.. Well, I grew up in a very small town .. middle of nowhere, the twang comes with it!
Deletea very sad reality...how our towns have given way to large businesses like wal-mart...there are still places around...our time in asheville last weekend for instance...and we try to buy local as we can...
ReplyDeleteWe are fortunate here in Bend ... many folks support local business, farmers markets, etc.
Deleteyep- so right on Helen! We either shop small and shop local or we are doomed to be buying stuff that is inferior and doesn't create jobs for ourselves nor our neighbors. Good one!
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving, Kathe!
DeleteThis is so absolutely true, Helen. Excellent write.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
Deletea nice reflection of our present times.....'like a tornado at night.banished them good folk
ReplyDeleteplain out o’ sight.'.......can't take my eyes off these words....
.. Sad truth throughout our country.
Deleteoh man, i really, really feel this, Helen. excellent! so very true and profound and why can't we stop this either?!
ReplyDeleteNot enough time to right all the wrongs, Marian.
DeleteLove your choice of language for the piece...also I love equating the "big box" stores with a tornado. It is such a shame what they have done to the little mom and pop stores who not only wanted to make some money but were so invested in the communities where they were located.
ReplyDeleteOh and thank you so much for taking part in the challenge!!
DeleteYou are quite welcome!
DeleteVery fine, sensitive write! Print it where this happened and you'd collect oral history for years.
ReplyDelete... to be sure!
DeleteMessed up previous comment, deleted it.
ReplyDeleteSorry 'bout that.
Your poem could be a Woody Guthrie song. Good work.
K
I'm actually working on a tune, Kay!
DeleteWE got a walmart in our town (pop 17,000) a few years ago and it killed most of our downtown shops. Now that they've gone belly up Walmart's raised priced to hight than before they got there. Grrrrr.
ReplyDeleteTriple grrrrrrr
DeleteThe small retail stores do suffer. Very well-penned. Lyrical and with a really good flow.
ReplyDelete-HA
Right on the money ! I live in a small coastal town and this rings so true. Thank you for a delightful post.
ReplyDeletePeace
Siggi
good pen, Helen ~
ReplyDeleteOh Helen...this is so true and sad! I love all those quaint shops- these places are the heart of many communities lost to corporate greed! It haunts and it should...
ReplyDelete