Western -This machine kills fascists

Cherry

By Ray Schaufeld

Tue, 29 Jul 2014
  • 6983 reads
16 comments
 
'go to sleep you weary hobo'
but the boxcar's full of folks
cussing, bragging, smoking, fighting
speaking memories, swapping jokes.
 
Big white house and prosperous family
Till their dwelling caught afire
Sister died; they built from nothing
Slogged their guts out to survive.
 
Their new house was dank and gloomy
Big tornado knocked it flat.
Mother went to the asylum
They struggled on, no matter what.
 
Uncle died in motorbike crash
Living at the ragged end.
Father wed a fortune teller
It's good fortune to find friends.
 
'go to sleep you weary hobo'
but the boxcar's full of folks
cussing, bragging, smoking, fighting
speaking lives and swapping jokes.
 
Woody used his hands for working
Washing floors and cutting wood
One more man in the Depression
Searching, starving, sweating blood.
 
Learnt guitar songs from  his family
Jumped the railroads though the land
Played in bars and shared with others
Working son of Uncle Sam.
 
Sung of freedom, sung of roving
Sung the Land is ours to share
Strive together then we're winners
'We' not 'I's the path to power.
 
'go to sleep you weary hobo'
but the boxcar's full of folks
cussing, bragging, smoking, fighting
speaking lives and sharing jokes.
 
Lived to only 55 years
Life can be a bl**dy b*itch.
Died of Huntingdon's like  mother
Life and songs were without match.
 
'This machine kills fascists'
Words he scrawled on his guitar
Woody Guthrie you're immortal
Rough man, genius, hero,star.
 
'go to sleep you weary hobo'
but the boxcar's full of folks
cussing, bragging, smoking, fighting
speaking memories, swapping jokes.
 
(song winds down)...go to sleep, rest in peace, Bound for Glory, we salute you
 
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All the information in my ballad is taken from Woody Guthrie's very alive slice of autobiography Bound for Glory.
Hudsonmoons' excellent guitar version can be found under Hudsonmoon and on You-tube.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Certificate PG
Non-fiction
Elsie's Selection Box
Western
Biography

Comments

Submitted by celticman on

Remember a man who said and played and understood what it is to be a man and not a thing to be moved and used and abused.

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Yes, CM you're right, a truly inspirational man. Cheers greengrocer for the cherries too.

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Elsie

Wonderful evocative poem. And I must admit to having relatives who had those very experiences - including one great uncle who was murdered while he was in his boxcar.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Jean, I am appalled to hear of your great uncle's murder. Thanks for reading.   Elsie

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Elsie, a very enlightening portrait of a fascinating person. Thanks for posting this.     In November 2011 I attended a lecture on "The music and radical politics of Woody Guthrie" presented by Professor Will Kaufman and wrote a poem about the experience. It's no longer on  ABC but should you wish to read it here is a link to it: http://ukauthors.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=26918

Kind regards, Luigi.

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Luigi, thanks for this and I have now followed the link and read your poem which I like. I once heard an excerpt of Woody on the radio. He has a flat matter-of-fact voice and used the phrase 'caught afire' more than once to describe horrendous house fires which devastated the family. Knowing what we now know about Huntingdon's Chorea, people have suggested that his mother, Nora's capacity to cook safely became impaired as her condition worsened.

Submitted by scratch on

This is great, you're on a roll!

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Cheers, Scratch. This might be it until late August as I am away in Agadir for a week, leaving on Monday and shortly after I am stewarding at Beautiful Days for Oxfam. Mind you I have made predictions like this before...

Submitted by lavadis on

Did you know Huntingdon's became known as Woodie Guthrie disease?

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Thanks for this Lavadis, you are giving me new info.

Submitted by Steve on

Great poem.

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Glad you liked this, Steve. It's a ballad. I plan to join a ukelele club as I have a tune for this. I have also written a satirical song about Christmas.

Submitted by hudsonmoon on

Loved this. Elsie. I love Guthrie.  You've done such a wonderful job with it. I know the tune well. Going to play it when I get home. You've inspired me.

Rich x

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Rich I am glad to have praise from another Guthrie fan. I read his book Bound for Glory and the first chapter is his description of a crowded boxcar full of desperate near-starving men risking their life in search of work. Boxcars were not sleepy places. Best wishes           Elsie

Submitted by hudsonmoon on

Hi, Elsie. Would you mind if I recorded this? I really liked what you've done with the lyrics. Always looking for something good to sing. And Hobo's Lullaby is a song I like to sing. Let me know.

Rich x

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Please record it! I'm delighted. I plan to use a different tune and wind it up with a few bars of Hobo's Lullaby so there will be 2 versions. Best wishes, Elsie