Labor (poem) by Ronald W. Hull on AuthorsDen

Labor
by Ronald W. Hull → (All Poetry by Ronald W. Hull)
Friday, September 4, 2020 Rated "G" by the Author.

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The need for human physical labor has been cheapened and diminished by automation, and now, by AI, to the point where we tend to refer to labor as something other than it originally was. I always enjoyed physical exertion and mowed my own lawn until I could no longer walk.

John Henry vs. Steam Drill © Dimitri Jackson Labor How many still labor by the sweat of brow? Fewer each year chasing that sacred cow. Riches without effort in a mental race, giving over our labor to the lesser placed. For labor has become unclean to the masses, strongly dividing upper and lower classes. Much easier to sit in an air-conditioned room, parroting idiot step-by-step computer games, than lesser tasks, like sweeping with a broom. College and a shirt of bleached white hue, replacing work worn grimy grease blue. No hot sun on the neck or dust in the air, just clickety clack of keys and hard-sell fare. Muscles get flabby and gaining weight, must go to the gym, worry about what ate. How many speak of the labor of love? Sweat in the strain of cooing like a dove? Getting a few sweet words down on paper? Trying to think up some new romantic caper? How many of her lovely would admire you, out working on crops before the dawn? No, poets and romantics are a lazy lot. Lay back and dream while labor they not. Copyright 2020 © Ronald W. Hull 9/3/20
Ron's Place

Reviewed by Jane Noponen Perinacci

Reviewed on October 18, 2020

Hey, sweetie! I waitroned (we were referred to as watrons) in upscale restaurants for nearly 20 years and you could bounce quarters off my ass. That labor kept me in shape real good! lol!! It did! I do "get" what you're putting down with your words and you are right on that level. Someone's got to go down in the salt mines around here and they do so their kids can have their faces in a phone!!! Oh, my!

Love ya!

Jane

Reviewed by Jms Bell

Reviewed on September 7, 2020

TECHNOLOGY! TECHNOLOGY! TECHNOLOGY! TECHNOLOGY! TECHNOLOGY! AND AS A RESULTS, FLOWN ARE THE BLESSINGS OF PHYSICAL LABOR AND ALL IT'S BEAUTIFUL REWARDS!!! I HEAR YOU RON BUT... THERE WE HAVE IT! THANKS FOR SHARING. LOVE, BLESSINGS AND FAITH...HIS+INSPIRATIONS

Reviewed by Rebecca McKeehan

Reviewed on September 6, 2020

Any meaningful use of the mind is a labor of love as it takes energy and effort to do it well. As for the rest, I think the sense of entitlement is a direct result of not having earned what we believe we deserve. It's a red flag of moral corruption in my book.

Rebecca

Reviewed by Sandie May Joyce (Sandie Angel)

All poets are labor of love, and therefore they are dreamers. There's nothing wrong in having good dreams and forget about the ugliness of this world led by real humans.

Sandie

Reviewed by John Herlihy

Reviewed on September 5, 2020

Au contraire, poets perform a labor of love; otherwise, you make a great point about the passing of "labor".

Reviewed by Budd Nelson

Reviewed on September 4, 2020

for some this is the labor they know, for others it is the peace after the labor is done

Reviewed by Karen Springer

Although AI and automation are creating new jobs and the tech is interesting, there is something to be said about the pride and love that goes into things made by an expert craftsman with their own hands. Well said.

Reviewed by Richard Cederberg

I still work. Have since I was 15. I enjoy working. Hopefully, as time saps the bodies resilience and strength, the mind will still remain sharp and creative. Thanks� rlc