RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: AMERICAN HISTORY
Dust Bowl Émigré
This rich and fertile valley
Was made on the backs of émigré
Not from somewhere below the border
Nor from Ireland or Eastern Europe
Not from Canada or Germany
Nor Australia or the Far East
The ones who answered the call
To work the orchards and fields
To till the soil and work the land
To pick the peaches, oranges and nuts
To bring the crops to market
Were the poor white folks of Oklahoma
The tenant farmer of the Dust Bowl
As hard a worker who ever lived
They came by hard luck highways
Their belongings packed on old cars
That broke down along the way
When they overcame all hardships
And finally arrived in the Golden State
They were called disgraceful names
Okies and Arkies and dirt farmers
Who came to take our good jobs
To steal our women and commit mayhem
To ruin the state the gold diggers built
But they didn’t take our good jobs
They took what others wouldn’t do
They didn’t steal our women
They didn’t crimes or mayhem
Any more than anyone else did
They were good hard-working people
Poor as dirt but grim determined
They had no place else to go
They became the good citizens
Of the great central valley
Along with others of darker skin
Also good hard-working people
Together they built the foundations
Of the great state of Golden Gate
Ironic ain’t it? that the very same people
Who were derided and abused yesterday
Deride and abuse others today
