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| Open Poetry #33 |
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Vote |
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Abe Senior Member
since 2003-05-28
Posts 694Looks like Vero Beach, FL until the end! 
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VOTE! I was going to do something about voting, or the lack of it, while watching Oprah about the forty million women who did NOT vote in the last Presidential election. I then thought about a poem my Grandfather, Charles F. Thomas, Jr. published in a self-published book of poetry, "The Aqueduct" back in 1936. I am not exactly sure when the piece was written but thought, "how apropos" for this day and time and felt I could not say it better. I am ashamed to admit that over the years (many years) I haven't voted all I should have. I am one of those who love to bitch about everything, though. I am also one of those who uses the excuse, "lesser of the two evils, why should I bother?", too. So what! Isn’t voting for the "lesser" at the least a step in the right direction? Anyway, here is his poem exactly as written. Since Women Got The Vote It warn’t so many years ago—I kin remember when A man could git his hair cut, or shaved or drink with other men Without a woman sittin’ there, right in a barber’s chair, Or leanin’ up against the bar an’ drinkin’ whiskey there. It’s gittin’ so a man cain’t do the things he’d like to do Without some female buttin’ in with a fancy how de you An’ try to do he same dern things--or jest a leettle more Since women got the vote! They useter tell us poor, dern fools how good the world would be; How sweet an’ kind an’ good an’ pure; of all things wrong so free. How politics—a rotten game—the same in days of yore, They’d clean it up—the women would—if we’d give them the chore. An’ show the world how plain, pore man had failed in his long job Of runnin’ things like politics an’ sorter playin’ hob With wars, an’ booze an’ presidents an’ other simple things If women got the vote! Wal, now I hopes they’re satisfied an’ happy as can be; They smoke an’ drink an’ cuss an’ swear an’ wearin’ pants like me. They stagger ‘round like drunken sots—like dern fools useter be, An’ roll their own, shoot craps, raise hell an’ stage a fustclass spree Thet puts to shame the ol’ time toughs like what we useter find, When men were men an’ had a place an’ women folks were kind An’ didn’t imitate fool man the way they want to do Since women got the vote! Remember, this was written nearly seventy years ago! Hope it stirs up some gals (and guys) to get off their butts and go to the polls. If we ever needed to get all of the American voters to the polls, now is the time! Del "Abe" Jones |
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| © Copyright 2004 Del - All Rights Reserved | |||
Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
 THANKS! I printed this out. Yep, voting is a right we should not take for granted. There are millions on earth who live and die never having this opportunity. So not taking it when you have it, is just plain wrong. I know, I chose to not vote one time for the same reason you mentioned. Later, I felt guilty about complaining when I didn't like the results. |
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miscellanea Member Elite
since 2004-06-24
Posts 4060OH |
I enjoyed his message and presentation. So poetry runs in your veins! Thanks for posting! miscellanea |
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