What American history books, written by 'educated' generations, don't tell you...

American Hero

His kind, they said, would never amount to anything.

The kind he was included being kind when sober,
and almost tolerable when not.
His kind kept the mills running during the Great Depression,
and worked sun-up to sun-down as productive tenant farmers,
He and his buddies fought WWII in Europe and Pacific islands,
Coming home to rebuild this Nation after living through that shit.

Drinking during the Thirties helped him forget
the goddamned lack of education he needed for a good job
A life lived paying for Civil War's destruction
leaving a sorry economy for raising families
His fate was sealed in eighty years of no money for learning;
The cause; rich property owners keeping wages and taxes low.
His constant drinking took away the gossip about her,
a wife, who, often, left her kids to shift for themselves.
She, a lonely bored housewife needed to romp
with mill hands who worked nights, played days.

Those of his kind still living, are old and worn out,
after providing new values to their kids and grandkids.
By the end of World War II, his offspring were educated
for top jobs in careers; the things he missed out on.
Still drinking a bit, his kind never complained,
but took it on the chin; grateful for the changes.



© 2006 F William Broome