Is this a life?

Question

These cotton fields with rows so long,

We hoe and chop and sing our song.

Each one of us will make a verse,

Some good, some bad, and some are worse.

When weeds are gone, we clear the roads,

Get bit by snakes, get warts from toads.

Down in these willows hung with moss,

We slave all day for one called Boss.

If you come south for just a day,

Don't break the law or here you'll stay.

I guess it's better than to hang,

But life is h**l on this chain gang.

Answer 1

It was fun, especially L4 of S1.  A life, but one with much limitations I would say.  Enjoyable read.

Answer 2

What we have here is a failure to communicate

Answer 3

Yes it does sound like slavery if not for the line "for one called boss". Slaves didn't have "bosses". It sounds more like you're comparing the work to that of slavery, which I think some might take a little offense to--but not really, since it's clearly not intended to be offensive.

Great job ;)

Answer 4

You make me want to write rhyming verse all the time Dondi,

now you have me reading Hymnals, finding out how John Wesley wrote verse (among others) and I'm agnostic!

Answer 5

The boll weevil has come to stay,

and I can't make them go away,

they sing love songs about the south,

and really they should shut their mouth

No, I love my dear home of black black coffee and iced tea. But I have made friends with some of those orange clad boys on the chain gang, most of them good people. So, you're still good in my book, with plenty of life.

Answer 6

Enjoyed it Dondi......enjoyed it very much.

and thus singing a song by our dear Dondi, I am going to sleep.

Good Night! Good Night!

Answer 7

Going to go and have a bowl full of hard boiled eggs after this one.I really enjoyed the picture you painted . No one writes in rhyming verse better than you.

Answer 8

That ol' chain gang don't sound like no fun to me. The poem was fun to read, though.

Answer 9

Sounds like Slavery lol

Answer 10

Nicee

Answer 11

Even Paul Newman, looked like it "were no fun."

to fool 'round with the Boss man.

Kudos

Answer 12

excellent read! enjoyed it so much.

Answer 13

only if you are a prisoner

Answer 14

Now that's some good rhythm. You really know how to get them babies bouncin', AND tell a story at the same time.

Answer 15

Fine for fun.

Dondi, I know it's only for fun, but the line 'We slave all day for one called Boss' sticks with me for some reason. May I be presumptuous and suggest an alternative? (Which I admit isn't really any better, but may kickstart your creative urges.) How about 'We slave all day for him who's Boss'? Just a thought.

(I notice a criticism on this page from someone who blocks it on his own postings.)

Answer 16

Definitely can see the cotton fields, and also brings a childhood memory to mind!

When in school I did an book report on the cotton gin and the inventor ELI Whitney!

My grandma knew of this and when she visited, she brought me a cotton plant to take to school!  It was so great to me, and just knew it helped me get the A that I was aiming for!!  Hope you don't mind the story !!

Cheers!

Eli Whitney: The Inventor : The Eli Whitney Museum & Workshop

Short history of the invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney. ... While Eli Whitney is best remembered as the inventor of the cotton gin, it is ...

Answer 17

It's a life for those who don't obey the rules!

And fun to read it too.

I myself would never make it on the chain gang unless they were planting flowers....

Answer 18

Enjoy Sir I did.

A great fun rhyme.

Thankyou!