Dig The Beets From Your Ground, Cut The Grapes From Your Vine

Looking at the pictures of "cotton picking" made me remember how my back felt after a day of that shit, and reminded me of those that came to work for us and help us bring in the crop.

The last time that we had a collapsed economy us Okies and Arkies were the "aliens" in Arizona and California. We were the type of people actually turned back from their borders. Yet, here we are in Oklahoma contemplating a law similar to the ones from the 1930's that were used to keep us out of those states. Truely we are thinking about copying Arizona's law. Our Grandparents would understand wouldn't they?

PASTURES OF PLENTY

It's a mighty hard row that my poor hands have hoed
My poor feet have traveled a hot dusty road
Out of your Dust Bowl and Westward we rolled
And your deserts were hot and your mountains were cold

I worked in your orchards of peaches and prunes
I slept on the ground in the light of the moon
On the edge of the city you'll see us and then
We come with the dust and we go with the wind

California, Arizona, I harvest your crops
Well its North up to Oregon to gather your hops
Dig the beets from your ground, cut the grapes from your vine
To set on your table your light sparkling wine

Green pastures of plenty from dry desert ground
From the Grand Coulee Dam where the waters run down
Every state in the Union us migrants have been
We'll work in this fight and we'll fight till we win

It's always we rambled, that river and I
All along your green valley, I will work till I die
My land I'll defend with my life if it be
Cause my pastures of plenty must always be free

--Woody Guthrie