Scott Whitby, 2020
The good ol' days
Or are they right now?
What was good about then
Hungry, poor, and an old plow
Now we got money
We got land
We got a bigger family
We can go South, sit in the sand
They had pecans for Christmas
From the trees in the yard
Rode a blind mule to school
Hadn't heard of a car
Joined the Military
Middle of a war
Easier than the farm
Never even got sore
Children of the Depression
Never knew it was there
Had nothing before or after
Staying alive was the only care
Run rabbits down with bare feet
Bullets cost too much
Sell them for a nickel
To buy sugar and flour and such
Buried ice from the Winter
In a big sawdust pile
Still there in the Summer
For ice cream once in a while
Floods in 1927
Cotton stayed all wet
Pulled it and picked it by the fire
Only money for shoes to get
Granddaddy kicked by a mule
It would cost him his life
No doctor nowhere
Left six kids and his wife
Were they even happy?
Did they ever laugh?
How did they do it?
Did they smile?
Did they joke?
Did they play?
...or just suffer?
It was the good ol' days
It couldn't have been as bad
As bad as what we imagine
Had to be more than all they had
They must have had more
More than what we see
Would they trade then for now?
No more likely than would we!
They had love and work
Little ones and friends
A place to stay
Just no money to spend
What do we have they didn't?
Big house, car, go anywhere
They wouldn't even understand
And they wouldn't even care
What would they think
If they could see what we do?
Watch us worry half the night
After the day is through
We drink Pappy and Jack
They'd think that risky
We drink bottled water
A joke when there's sweet feed whisky
They'd just work and laugh
Joke and smile and play
And watch us suffer and say
At least they love and at least they pray
Then they'd briefly reflect
Wink at each other and nod
They lived in the good ol' days
And for that they thank God
Comments