Hard Times
© By Grady L. Duncan
9/13/03
I guess I was very fortunate,
to enjoy all of the things I did,
although life was much different,
in those days when I was a kid.
Times were hard back then.
The depression was in full swing.
We were trusting in the Lord,
for what tomorrow might bring.
The heart of the problem was Greed,
the dream of striking it rich.
Then those "would be millionaires",
wound up with a pick in a ditch.
They had borrowed to invest in stocks,
Their riches were only on papers.
In time their money was gone.
It had vanished like so many vapors.
Production out weighed demands.
Soon factories had to shut down.
The soup lines started to form,
in every city and most towns.
Work was not to be had,
no matter how hard one might try.
Rather than facing the hard times,
by their own hands, many would die.
It continued, not just for days,
but went on for years and years.
The world was a place of torments.
People suffered and shed bitter tears.
Whole families were made homeless,
and had to survive on the streets.
There was no place to seek shelter,
and nothing, could they find to eat.
You see why I say I was lucky?
I had a house to stay warm.
At least we had our vittles,
while we were still on the farm.
Some times just biscuits and gravy,
Sometimes just a rabbit stew,
but we always remembered to pray,
and that's what pulled us through.
