Hard Times
©2008 AndrewHull

The bakelite radio crackled and popped
The Old Man listened a while
To news that the DOW had recently dropped
And the slide to recession couldn’t be stopped
Since current inflation could never be topped
So the Old Man buried his smile
He turned to the woman beside him and said
“ Cattle are restless – Hard times ahead”

The cold winter wind blew in through the floor
“ It’s hard” said the wife “but we’ve been here before”
So a little less wheat came up in the field
The trees in the orchard were down on their yield
But the old man had grain he’d kept in reserve
And there was still fruit for the wife to preserve
So the table was full for the children’s return
With talk of a wedding, and laughter to burn

The bakelite radio barked out the news
As The Old Man turned his ear
The Federal Reserve had commissioned reviews
Based some terrible forecasts and views
Couched in language economists use
And market capitalists fear
The Old Man slowly nodded his head
“ The dogs are barking – hard times ahead”

The rain fell hard for nearly a week
And stock was lost in the swollen creek
But the crops grew well and little was lost
In the drier months or the early frost
The orchard bloomed and loaded the trees
But the birds struck hard and also disease
Still the family feasted on Christmas cheer
With talk of a baby the following year

The bakelite radio coughed and cracked
And the Old Man listened well
To news the treasurer soon would be sacked
Because of the management skills he lacked
And the poor credit rating this would attract
With stock markets starting to sell
The Old Man grimaced and shook his head
“ Crows on the wire – hard times ahead”

The seasons came and the seasons went
Money was earned and money was spent
Regardless of yield, irrespective of weather
The family grew and gathered together
The Old Woman wept when the Old Man died
But within a month she lay at his side
And the family gathered bereaved and bereft
To share their grief and what they’d been left

“Hard times” said the lawyer, “you really should sell”
The family said not a word
“ The property market just recently fell,
Commodity prices are buggered as well
And as for the future – you can’t really tell….”
But none of the family heard
They switched on the bakelite radio dial
Remembered good times, and started to smile