Metamorphosis
Country girl staring at the ceiling light
Softly scratching an old mosquito bite
Young hands so calloused and tanned
Praying that her parents will understand
Longing for a life without mud boots
Willing to forego the family roots
Can't wait to cut the apron string
Not content with the farming thing
Coming of age in rural America
Not every generation is a replica
Traveling gravel roads is so absurd
Wants a little Cape Cod in a suburb
Gouged out a plan during the night
Figured a way out of her plight
College would certainly set her free
Work nights while obtaining a degree
A Scholarship, grants, and a loan
Key to finding her Rosetta Stone
Four years and this rustic life will be alien
All with hard work and using the cranium
poem by Charles Hancock
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Crippled by Knowledge
The wayward way of thinking has always been: “Son, I want you to go to college, graduate with a degree so you will have the education to secure a well-paying job. You know back in my day, I was able to go to college, so I want to make sure you have every opportunity to! ”
The inevitable downfall: The rise in college tuition, along with the decrease in federal aid for working middle class families’, students and their parents are placed under enormous pressure in paying back mass amounts of student loan debt.
The vicious cycles remains: Parents could not afford college for themselves ' Parents want better for their kids ' Parents struggle daily and sacrifice their home, their livelihood to ensure their child will have the opportunity at a college education ' Casting a dark cloud over the excitement of their child’s graduation - Four years in a state school and one bachelors degree later ' Parents are faced with a $500 a month student loan payment ' Their son will begin paying on his portion of the loan next month.
The pleasures in being a working middle class family in today’s society. Parents who in the course of hard work and determination established careers with little to no higher education, providing and making the ends meet. Nevertheless, no tuition grants or federal aid for their hopeful first generation college student. “Son, we make too much money for you to qualify for grants. I know who would think a daily struggle is equivalent to making too much money. It is simply loans for us, and I'm not sure we can afford the $568 a month payment. I guess we will manage like we always have. I sure didn't foresee this worry and grief when I just wanted better for you.'
His son, an elementary school teacher in a low-socioeconomic urban school district has hopes that each and every child in his classroom will have the opportunity to pursue higher education. Thoughts of his monthly struggle on a state teacher’s salary to make ends meet and pay back his student loans, escape him every time he walks into the classroom full of young minds craving to learn.
The children we raise and educate today are the minds that will drive our society into the 21-century. Must you realize you are sacrificing the well-being our nation and placing the future of our society in jeopardy to only have history repeat itself. Senators, congressmen, lawyers and lobbyists almost certainly would not have had the opportunity to be where they are now without the support and devotion of their underpaid and overworked school teachers. Everyday leaders such as school teachers and their hard working families do not deserve the crippling burden of outrageous monthly student loan payments when the end goal is to simply further their education in order to influence and guide the society that will lead our nation’s future.
If educators take a primary role in being the driving force behind a society of accountable well-informed people; I can only help to wonder if serving in our nation’s military can pay back student loans, why can’t serving in our nation’s classrooms pay back student loans.
© 2010 April Michelle
poem by April Michelle
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Rural Diversity
Migrant workers..
From Texas to Wisconsin
Fifty years ago..
Coming to where the work
and dreams were plentiful.
A little ale and little sleep
This cultural diversity is a part of
our rural farming history
Past and Present
A young Texan hombre
Finding work and a little pay
Courting a senorita
both from the same tiny Texan town, Cotulla
They marry here in Wisconsin
Their offspring playing
in the fields of their toil.
Most went on to find jobs
in industry; living the blue collar life
making the steel harvesters
that promised to replace the manual labor.
Look in the fields today
Still they come,
but from farther borders
Fifty years later...
coming to where the work
and dreams still smell of promise.
Dedicated to Jose Charo, Sr and Alicia(Salvidar) Charo
in Celebration of their Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary
poem by Celia AmanteaSchulz
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Motionless
Work
Work
That's what I need to do
Work
Work
I feel so lazy
Working machine
Working machine
That's what I need to be
I need to make my grades go sky high
Make the entire house gleam
Make the best meal ever
Work
Work
Why don't I start
I should just work
All the time
Push everything else away
Instead I sit here
Staring at the T.V.
Staring at a book
Staring at my family
Staring at a magazine
Nanny's making supper
I really should go help
I should take over
And while I'm at it
I should study for my test
And dust, too
But instead I sit
And sit
And sit
And sit
And sit
Just staring,
Watching my life pass me by
poem by Candace Johnson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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All Day
Well Im hiding my eyes from the morning sun
And I keep on working till the work is all done
But a voice in my head keeps ticking away
As the sweats hosed down from yet another day
Well he works hard
And he lives hard
And he breaks his back without nothing to gain
While the boss man sits around and drinks champagne
All day (you work and you work and you work and)
In life, theres just one transition
All day (you work and you work and you work and)
In life, theres just one decision
Well Im peeling the blisters off my working hand
Is that what it takes to make you understand?
That its something you read, not something you meant
To be slaving away without a shred of integrity
He worked hard
And he lived hard
And he broke his back without nothing to say
While the man in control was just laughing away
All day (you work and you work and you work and)
In life, theres just one transition
All day (you work and you work and you work and)
In life, theres just one decision
Was it something you read?
Was it something you meant?
Was it something you said?
Or was it heaven sent?
All day (you work and you work and you work and)
In life, theres just one transition
All day (you work and you work and you work and)
In life, theres just one decision
song performed by by Ministry
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Unlikely Hero
Where he lives none does help you when you are down
The one out of work in the poor side of town
A young man in his early twenties with life struggling to cope
Though of finding employment he is not without hope.
Disadvantaged by the suburb he lives in and his postal address
Such things potential employers do fail to impress
But of searching for a job start he never does cease to try
Of courage in adversity none of him can deny.
One cannot say of him he does not do his best
And he showed his true courage when put to the test
He saved a baby girl's life in a house fire
In the unlikely hero so much to admire.
To save a grateful parents child life he put his own life on the line
Yet an offer of an award for bravery he did decline
Of saving a young life he did not make a big thing
And his praises he does not wish others to sing.
In the factory he worked in his job he enjoyed
'Til when the company went into receivership he became unemployed
But to the victim mentality he is not inclined
And he will keep searching 'til a job he will find.
poem by Francis Duggan
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Nights I Can't Remember, Friends I'll Never Forget
Me and JB and Sonny, we grew up on the buddy plan
Weren't we some bad mothers, closer than brothers
Had a rockin' little three-piece band
Yeah we wrote a lot of songs about women
Then we tried to sing 'em pretty for the girls
Pushin' everythin' we did to the limit
Livin' right out on the edge of the world.
I recall on summer night at a party
We were sophomores hangin' out by the lake
I got off on some wine with a waitress
Sonny had a girlfriend that just couldn't wait
JB hooked up around midnight
With an ugly girl from up in the city
He downed every can of beer in the cooler
Just tryin' to drink that poor thing pretty.
Hey me and the boys we made a lot of noise
And we, sang all our songs for free
We partied through college, acquired some knowledge
Never did get a degree
We did it our way lookin' back on the good days
There's still not a lot I regret
Nights I Can't Remember, Friends I'll Never Forget.
I grew up and got married, took a job with the FPL
Sonny's got a good life, a baby and a good wife
And everyday he carries the mail
JB is a cross-country trucker
And he called last night from South Carolina
He said I fallen in love with a waitress
That I met at a Waffle House diner.
He said the years seem to roll on faster
Than they did back when we were kids
Then we need us a break from the grindstone
That's exactly what we did.
We put in a phone call to Sonny
Then we stayed out all night long
We drank a few cold ones, then told a few old ones
And sang another verse to the song.
Yeah we were boys who made a lot of noise
And we, sang all our songs for free
We partied through college, acquired some knowledge
Never did get a degree
We did it our way lookin' back on the good days
There's still not a lot I regret
There's some Nights I Can't Remember, with Friends I'll Never Forget.
All those Nights I Can't Remember, Friends I'll Never Forget.
song performed by by Toby Keith
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Pell Grants
The USA has fallen behind in college graduates in many areas especially the sciences and technology. We need more kids with ability graduating from college and getting master degrees etc. Pell grants allow a young or older person who cannot afford a college education to get one. People pay the loans off by the percentage of wage they make at the time. This democratic benefit to the middle and lower classes would be dropped by Romney/Ryan and the republicans if they are elected.
The implication of this would be college is for the wealthy and the extremely gifted with scholarships or in sports. Is this fair? Is it right for a young person with an IQ of a hundred with rich parents to go to college and another child with an IQ of a 120 with parents that can't afford 20,000 dollars a semester not go? Is this the America that you want? I am not voting for people only but justice, equality and a real America with real opportunity for all not just the rich.
poem by Joseph Narusiewicz
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Great Expectations
(eric carmen)
Seems everyday
Im gettin harder pressed
To find a reason to shave
Watchin the hours
Just slippin away
No motivation to get out of bed
And carry on the charade
Caught in a dream thats goin astray
Oh, all those great expectations
Seems they never work out, never work out
The way that I plan
All those great expectations
Why they never work out, never work out
I cant understand
And just when I think
That things are goin right
I get a call from l.a.
Sorry to say were changin your song
I try to reason
But I cant get through
Theyre gonna do it their way
What can I say
Theyve never been wrong
Oh, all those great expectations
Seems they never work out, never work out
The way that I plan
All those great expectations
Why they never work out, never work out
I cant understand
Life is just a game of chance
I think somebody said so
Sometimes you get a hula hoop
Sometimes you get an edsel
Oh, all those great expectations
Seems they never work out, never work out
The way that I plan
All those great expectations
Why they never work out, never work out
I cant understand
song performed by by Eric Carmen
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Lovingly Do The Work
Work is
Life...
Life is work...
Any work is not
Wrong...
Without work is
Worng...
Human every budy works
Wny way too work...s
Work is making you...
Work is given good life
For you...and your's...
So...
Understand too work
Earn money too work...
Live life with your work...
Love too work...
Learn to do the work...
Lovingely do the work...
poem by Otteri Selvakumar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Children For Sale
'children for sale,
...children for sale, '
the street vendor cries...
'we've got all kinds...
...black and white, brown
....and red...
..boys and girls, take your choice!
...spin the wheel, take a chance! '
who chooses what opportunities,
what chances, what quality of life?
how much education?
what kind of family life?
a degree, a job, a future?
or work with the hands, skilled labor?
or menial work, no work at all....
a life of crime, taught by the prisons?
hope, or starvation?
free, or oppressed?
loved, or hated?
finding a place, following a dream...
or cast to the side?
who chooses?
and why should anyone choose?
'children for sale,
...children for sale...'
the street vendor cries!
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Hard Work
Doing back breaking work
Puts a new light on life
Makes you see
How to appreciate life
Getting hands dirty
And mucking in dirt
Makes you realize
That life is hard work
Dusting the cobwebs
And scrubbing the floors
Makes you just love
The hard work
You've just done
It's a labour of love
At a job well done
Now its time to sit back
And relax in the sun
You feel happy content
At all that you've done
So pat your own back
At a job well done
poem by Kaila George
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Night Cometh
Work! for the night is coming;
Work! through the morning hours;
Work! while the dew is sparkling;
Work! 'mid the springing flowers;
Work! while the day grows brighter,
Under the glowing sun;
Work! for the night is coming,--
Night, when man's work is done.
Work! for the night is coming;
Work! through the sunny noon;
Fill the bright hours with labour,
Rest cometh sure and soon.
Give to each flying minute
Something to keep in store;
Work! for the night is coming,--
Night, when man works no more.
Work! for the night is coming;
Under the sunset skies,
While their bright tints are glowing,
Work! for the daylight flies;
Work! till the last beam fadeth,
Fadeth to shine no more;
Work! while the night is darkening,--
Night, when man's work is o'er.
poem by Annie Louisa Walker
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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I'm not a company man.
Ghazal format
Some men strive hard chasing success
Whilst other men are content with less.
It all depends I must suppose.
On whom they're trying to impress.
I value self sufficiency
And use my time efficiently.
I choose to please myself.
There is no reason I can see.
For me to use my energy
Concentrating constantly.
Pursuing riches I don't need.
It simply makes no sense to me.
I understand that some will choose
To store up wealth they cannot use,
But that does not apply to me.
Because I know I can refuse.
To work for sixteen hours a day
I live my life a different way.
The company does not own me.
Though I work hard to earn my pay.
I spend time with my family.
Which I regard importantly.
There is much more to life than work.
I can state quite confidently.
I am contented with my lot.
I need no more than what I've got.
That is what success means to me.
My family first no matter what.
Wednesday,26 September 2012
poem by Ivor Or Ivor.e Hogg
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Gone Country
Shes been playing in a room on a strip
For ten years in vegas
Every night she looks in the mirror
But she only ages
Shes been reading about nashville and all
The records that everybodys buying
Says Im a simple girl myself
Grew up on long island
So she packs her bags to try her hand
Says this might be my last chance
Shes gone country, look at them boots
Shes gone country, back to her roots
Shes gone country, a new kind of suit
Shes gone country, here she comes
Well the folk scene is dead
But hes holding out in the village
Hes been writing songs speaking out
Against wealth and privilege
He says i dont believe in money
But a man could make him a killin
Cause some of that stuff dont sound
Much different than dylan
I hear down there its changed you see
Theyre not as backwards as they used to be
Hes gone country, look at them boots
Hes gone country, back to his roots
Hes gone country, a new kind of suit
Hes gone country, here he comes
He commutes to la
But hes got a house in the valley
But the bills are piling up
And the pop scene just aint on the rally
He says honey Im a serious composer
Schooled in voice and composition
But with the crime and the smog these days
This aint no place for children
Lord it sounds so easy it shouldnt take long
Be back in the money in no time at all
Hes gone country, look at them boots
Hes gone country, back to his roots
Hes gone country, a new kind of suit
Hes gone country, here he comes
Yeah hes gone country, a new kind of walk
Hes gone country, a new kind of talk
Hes gone country, look at them boots
Hes gone country, oh back to his roots
Hes gone country
Hes gone country
Everybodys gone country
Yeah weve gone country
The whole worlds gone country
song performed by by Alan Jackson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Even with a College Graduate
Have you ever wonderred
What a person would be like
Who could score even with
A college graduate
You end up finding out
We're just as smart as
You seem to be
With that college degree
So, maybe we should
Learsn now to work together
Instead of trying to show
Which one of us is smarter
poem by Jerry Abrahamson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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I Don't Wanna Work
Well i give it little care
Does anybody out there even know
I'm in here?
I just keep my movement going
Somewhere
Like playing in the background baby
Like playing in the background baby
I play the game
You play the way that most men would choose
I'm surprised at you
Way back in the middle of a broken down love affair
You and i found each other
And we fell in love
I ain't never met a man and woman get along better
Than you and i when get together
Still i say
I don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work that hard
Don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work that hard
Don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work that hard
Not if it makes me cry
No no
See the lady walking down the street
She's got on high heel shoes
And her hair full of curlers
She's got stiletto nails
And some black mascara
She's got a push up and a pick up
I tell you that girl's working overtime
I don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work that hard
Don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work that hard
Not if it makes me cry
No no no no no no
I don't wanna work
I don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work it if makes me cry
Spent last night
Talking to myself in bed
Wondering why i do this over
Over and over again
I don't know
I, i, i, i don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work that hard
Not when it makes me cry
I don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work not that hard
I don't wanna work it it makes me cry
I don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work not that hard
I don't wanna work if it makes me cry
song performed by by Donna Summer
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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You Ask Me About It
You ask me about it I have wondered why
So many never know of material success though hard they do try
They work hard and grow old and fade out and die
Is the theory of hard work based on success something based on a lie.
The prime years of life quickly do tick away
They work hard to raise their children then grow old and gray
The woman on average by a few years does outlive her man
Three score and ten years the average human life span.
So many work hard just for survival pay
And the gap between the haves and have nots gets wider every day
And so many hungry for each millionaire
It is a rat race in the big World out there.
You ask me why some people struggle through life
The poor working man and his poor working wife
On their meagre incomes their family must survive
On the sweat of the workers the bosses do thrive.
poem by Francis Duggan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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People don't understand rural America. Sixteen percent of our population is rural, but 40 percent of our military is rural. I don't believe that's because of a lack of opportunity in rural America. I believe that's because if you grow up in rural America, you know you can't just keep taking from the land. You've got to give something back.
quote by Tom Vilsack
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Night!
Oh night, oh night, oh night, oh night,
When oh when will you come.
I wait and wait, and wait and wait,
So tired that I'm numb.
My eyes so dry from staying up, just about to weep,
Oh night, oh night-
Why won't you just let me go to sleep?
The day is gone, the sun has set,
My work has all been done.
All I long for is some rest,
From this nightmarish verse I've spun.
And so now I must beg with you,
My lovely lady, Night-
Release me please, set me free,
From this horrible sleepless plight!
poem by Topsy Kretts
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Old Age, Go Away
When are we consider old?
when the years past so quickly
being a kid with no worries
to a teen with rebel ways, to parents dismay
young adult leads to a partying way
maturing thru the years to become a respected adult
responsibilities and family life changes people
before time fly, aging needs a break
for real it does, it's not fair to fly
middle aged, worn out, heading to retirement
can't wait for that day, everyone says
to tell the true I rather work, that's my pitch
getting old for the rockers and the canes
just has to stay away, I have so many things to do
see more the world, meet many people
play with the kids and the grand kids
stop that hour glass from draining
I have a lot of things on my mind
time will take my mind
the wrinkles and the gray hair can wait
same with the balding
Aging for the years can wait, oh it can wait
young and childish mind, I have
will make me feel young, well into my years
till it catches my worn broken body
Old age stay away, For I am Young
poem by Michael Peterson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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