Dustbowl

Oh my! This is a great one. I love your style with words.

You really tugged at some heart strings with this one. I was raised an, "Okie" in central California. My family were immigrants from Oklahoma during the dust bowl. My grandmother who went through it is still with us. She is 90 and has some incredible stories to tell. The Grapes of Wrath was a very personal book to me. We were raised very poor but have come through as a very strong family, so I know what the Joad's meant when they said, "Our people are good people; our people are kind people; pray God some day kind people wont all be poor" -Steinbeck

This is wonderful Audrey. I love that you selected a photograph by Dorothea Lange. I find that fewer and fewer people are aware of the Great Dust Bowl or of the efforts made by the government to document it. Great poem. Theresa

Audrey, my first thought about the title was classic dust bowl poetry, yet, it seems you speak of a later dust bowl in that hot, very dusty atmosphere of the Manzanar Relocation Center in California, one of many set up to house, to imprison really, Japanese residents of the west Coast of the US after Pearl Harbor was bombed and war was declared. Truly, "we must all weep."

By the way, a former Oregon Poet Laureate and Professor at Southern Oregon University wrote about the interned Japanese experience in a collection of poetry called "Letters From Camp."

I forgot to mention the poet's name, Lawson Inada, an excellent writer.

Simply beautiful! Thank you! Up+

wow you're exploding with poetic talent of late Audrey.. impressive :)

And it's hot here with not enough rain in Singapore too. Phew! A dustbowl it is. Thanks for sharing this, Audrey...beautiful as usual!

I love that with each read I glean a new meaning. Beautiful and voted up

Hi my friend this is such a gem of a poem and so beautifully written !

Lovely, Audrey. Just lovely. Great use of repetition. Very emotive piece. I enjoyed this a lot. Shared too...

Yes, images of the dust bowl, but images of the problems farmers and lovers face..."To nurture Fertile ground We all must weep" So true.

Voted up and awesome.

This is uniquely different. The dustbowl must have been intolerable with the need for many tears..Thought provoking Audrey...

Brilliant Audrey.

Eddy.

Voted up and awesome. Wonderful poetry.

Loved your poem. Vote up and more.

Audrey,

I loved the imagery in this poem. Such a beautiful poem.

Dear Audrey -

This is just magnificent. Meets a deep variety of interpretation. Thank you - thank you!

A great poem, vivid and powerful. I envisioned dry parched earth thirsting for rain dry and bereft of moisture waiting for showers.

Dustbowl is a lovely poem keep writing and sharing your great talent I enjoy reading your work.

I see a dry barren earth abused by man, needing the tears of our loss to have any chance at rebirth

Simply beautiful

my first of your poems -- I don't know why it took me so long -- this, as all have commented is in a class of its own. Most times, we must lose to gain.

Good one, Audrey.

I like the idea that somehow our emotions are connected to the land. There is strange beauty within the tragedy that human beings are so intimately connected to the dust, and this poem is reminiscent of the Old Testament curse upon the sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve "From the dust you came and to the dust you shall return."

Very beautiful; sorry I missed this one. ^

Hey Audrey beautiful poetry as usual you are very creative with your work.

Its a blessing God give to you :)

You are a very gifted poet. Nice job. Look forward to reading more.

What evocative language for a little rain. A little dust.

My goodness that poem is creative. I love it, Audrey!