Labor's Love, Lost - pipTalk Forums

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RSWells
Member Elite

since 2001-06-17

Posts 2533

0 posted 2001-09-02 11:47 PM

"In all labor there is profit"
--Proverb 23
They carried metal lunch pails
dangling on fingertips.
Strong hands heavy like
the knotted ends of curtain draws
at the south end of weary arms
stretching out of sweat soiled shirts.

Some pails remain, antiquing a
rich patena stored in widows closets
forgotten for now but quainting
their way to the collectable category,
and in another generation, curiosities.

Most rusted.
They rusted in Pittsburgh,
Scranton, Wheeling.
They rusted in Cleveland,
Buffalo, Erie and Gary.
They rust in Detroit.

It was a subtle game of chess we lost.

The new Masters learned from steel.
Hungry union holdouts helped.
Like the reluctant virgin who looks
around one day a lonely old maid.
The "vanquished" Germans and Japanese
stealthed away the steel.

The Kings and Queens moved their pawns
in the Knight. First to unionless sunbelt states
for cheap labor and lax pollution laws.
We were Rooked but didn't notice,
everyone else was moving there.

Now textiles, car parts, tire plants,
assembled goods (including computers)
moved even farther south.
To another country.

Laws change making it easier to bring
these goods into an America whose
own citizens have a simpler choice;
either get saavy anticipating the masters
stock market moves towards los maquiladoras
or,
find a living on the internet
or,
serve coffee, dryclean clothes,
pour liquor, park cars.
You could clean their Castles.

Where's the Bishop?
Donde estan los Obispos?

"Forsook the labours of a servile state.
Stemm'd the rude storm, and triumph'd over fate"
-Lord Byron

Tracey
Member Elite

since 2001-08-29

Posts 2808
where insanity meets breeding

1 posted 2001-09-02 11:57 PM

Very powerful. I'm in the steel industry and know well of what you speak. (Though the Americans just included us Canuks in one of your dumping suits recently. Very un-neighbourly like

)

Again, powerful, thought provoking read

Tracey

If she who dies with the most toys wins, then can I have some toy boys please?

jwesley
Member Rara Avis

since 2000-04-30

Posts 7563
Spring, Texas

2 posted 2001-09-03 12:08 PM

Definitely powerful...does make one think...
A very well written piece my friend.

jwesley

Midnitesun

Member Empyrean

since 2001-05-18

Posts 28647
Gaia

3 posted 2001-09-03 12:19 PM

On this Labor Day,
I honor
all laborers
around the globe,
for I am
a world citizen,
and all who labor
are worthy
of honor.

Sunnyone
Member Ascendant

since 2000-07-06

Posts 5334
Staffordshire, England

4 posted 2001-09-03 09:20 AM

This is one tremendous piece, my friend! And timely, too! Seems like more and more of the jobs that we used to do have moved below the border. Where does that leave us? You've posed many serious questions here, and given us reason to think!
Thank you.....

The road goes on forever, and the stories never end...

ethome
Member Patricius

since 2000-05-14

Posts 11858
New Brunswick Canada

5 posted 2001-09-03 09:30 AM

Great poem for labour day. Very intense! The truth the primary element of justice needed to recognize the balance of power...sometimes so seculded like the bacteria that make up the waste products! Very enjoyable!

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