More Hands Make For Lighter Work

By skinner_jennifer

Wed, 10 May 2017
  • 1975 reads
6 comments
 

Those times they

were hard back then

never had no tractor

to work the ground;

 

digging out peat

with bare hands,

fuel for the fire

our only desire,

 

with help from family

and of course friends,

even kids took part

in lending a hand.

 

My wife would say:

too many cooks would

spoil the broth – but that's

not true of working the land,

 

I say the more the merrier

cause it's all hands on deck,

in my view at the end of the day;

more hands make for lighter work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Certificate U
Poem
Poems
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

What an interesting take on the proverb, Jenny. And to bring in the proverb that seems to be saying the opposite. I suppose in the kitchen too many hands can interfere, but as you show here, manual labour needs many hands. There must have been cameraderie in being many working together in those days, but without machines, very hard work. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by celticman on

with bear (bare) hands Jenny. Life was brutal and childhood ended after rudimentary schooling. Sounds much like today. Children didn't know this. That's life!

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Jenny

I liked this, and certainly my research on my ancestors showed they couldn't have coped without sharing the harvesting chores.  They shared the cooking too, and had harvest parties where my 16 year old mother (not my mother at the time)  would serve 30 men each evening, but with contributions from the other neighbours.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Thanks for reading Rhiannon and sharing your thoughts. Glad you liked this I P.

Jenny. 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Jack,

that dreaded bear keeps hounding me. I'll change it after I've commented and thank you for the help.

Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts.

Jenny.

 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Jean,

I found this photo amongst some that belonged to my Gran, I'm not sure but I think the little girl on the left in front of the boy is my mum, but I can't be certain as there's no names to identify.

Yes you're right, it must have been only possible to get anything done with the help of family and friends.

Thanks for the read and your thoughts.

Jenny.