Hard Luck Okie

Hard Luck Okie

Poem

Poem recorded by the Library of Congress at a migrant farmer’s camp in California in the late 1930s.

Turner, Roy

Visalia FSA Camp

August 27, 1941

Todd, Charles L., 1911-2004 (Collector)
Sonkin, Robert, 1910-1980 (Collector)
Turner, Roy (Performer)
Turner, Roy (Composer)

Sound disc : analog ; 12 in.

English

In that dear state of Oklahoma
in the city where buildings are high
I laid on my pillow so hopeless
looking through my tin shack at the sky.

I got up early next morning
out in the cold I did creep
walked off without any breakfast
and left two hungry babies asleep


And then I left that big city,
I walked down 60 highway
I had a good reason for leaving
so I headed for Pacific Bay

Then I seen the Texas cotton
and the Mexico bottomless lakes
and the Arizona healy monster
and the big diamond rattle snakes

One night I heard the little coyotes,
I listened to their pitiful whine
I wondered if the poor little creatures
Didn’t have hungry babies like mine

That same night I dreamed of my father
he said boy don’t never go back
He said give them diamonds your part of that city
and that little old rusted tin shack

I started this poem in the desert
my bed lying out on the ground
Then covered up my hungry babies
and smoked a cigarette and laid down.

Then I picked peas in California
from two to six hampers a day
Trying to make a few pennies
to drive that old hungry away

Oklahoma farewell.

Listen to audio: https://www.loc.gov/item/toddbib000318/

Recording

01:13

3.1MB