~~~
The country of plenitude
staggered from the weight of
a stock market’s crashing attitude,
desolating man's faith given from above.
The fertile land grew fallow
teasing farmers to plant their seed,
attempt to nurture it to grow,
though the soil could not feed.
All around them there was pain,
money scarce for the average man
who could not pay his rent or contain
his gnawing need to feed his clan.
Through adversity mankind grew
into a moving mass of flesh,
traveling to the places they never knew,
hoping to start their lives afresh.
Death stalked the very old and frail,
the dejected and forlorn,
who staggered on that hopeless trail,
glazed, with clothes too thinly worn.
Man became the tumbleweed blown
from higher ground to valley below,
the ravaged prey left quietly alone
to rot into life's river flow.
But the quiet rose again to be
the compassionate and strong
and the broken men fought free
from the desolation grown too long.
Love brought them to themselves,
to cast aside every wicked day,
to climb down from depression's shelves
and create the homes that had gone away,
For people cannot be completely beaten by
the caprice of man made invention,
but will always live with the hope to fly
as God’s created intention.
Our ancestors suckled the hungry,
banded together with friendship to proffer,
so men could survive times that were dry,
and nurture the best mankind has to offer.
~~~
Author notes
prompt: The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck
A contest entry
- Your Best Pre-Written Rhyme by Piccola.
800 points, ended August 15, 104 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 11 of 11
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I still have the copy of Grapes Of Wrath that I got from my library at school when I chose to report on Whitman lol. wonder how much the fine is? This is a nice take on the prompt. Thank you or the entry
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congratulations on a very well done poem.
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Thank you for your entry
Yes, I can see the inspiration of this in your poem. A very Americana feel to it as well. The struggle to survive and grow. Sometimes that struggle leads us down the wrong path. Nice flow and structure.
Thank you for your thoughts. I encourage you to keep writing to read and comment.
God Bless
Tammy
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Thanks for your nice comment on my poem, The Hard Times, and for the blessing as well. Bless you. Joyce
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This should be on the cover flaps of the book. It so well depicts the struggles and progression of that
challenge! You are tender at heart and it shows what the author wanted the reader to pick up.
"Love brought them to themselves,
to cast aside every wicked day,
to climb down from depression's shelves
and create the homes that had gone away"-- my favorite stanza. This could caption the movie or illustration were there one.
Wonderful contest submission. Lots of things going on to color the tradition of its fame!
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Thank you, dear Cookie, for your always warm comments on my poetry. As usual, you flatter me!
~ Joyce
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I honestly felt tears rising as I began reading this masterpiece, but those tears were caught and held by the incredible message of hope you present, Joyce!
"But the quiet rose again to be the compassionate and strong." There is so much truth and wisdom in this poetry. And, it is the quiet ones who tend to rise up. They're the ones who become known, through no forethought of their own, as true heroes.
This world needs hope and heroes. We need to nurture one another. A broken spirit is a hard thing to mend. Let's not let it crack in the first place.
Thank you for this! The world and mankind seem beautiful to me, for this day. We can nurture so many and we can, indeed, fly. Beautiful! Thank you for this!
Love to you, Dear Friend!
Kelly
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Kelly, you have truly touched me with your response to my poem. Thank you ever so much.
~ Joyce
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Wow...this is one super write! I loved this to the end. I love how you made this reader experience "The Hard Times" in this piece. Our ancestors should be honored much more for how they suffered for us and our generations to come. I truly admire you for writing this masterpiece!!
GBY
SilverButterfly
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I am so impressed that you were so impressed with my poem. (It has impressed the image of you as one very kind soul!) Thank you for the extremely lovely comment. ~ Joyce
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Awwe Joyce...You deserve so much more praise for your talent! Keep writing ones like this
GBY
SilverButterfly
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