Listening to "No More Auction Block" on spotify this morning got the blood flowing again. Versions of the song by Bob Dylan, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Paul Robeson, Ella Jenkins, Odetta, Pete Seeger, The Harvesters, Frantz Cialec, and others stirred my soul, especially Dylan's and Odetta's. That reminded me of a stirring several months back when the muse was active, to put words to that marvelous old tune that would chronicle in some ways the stories of black farmers.
On these pages and in thousands and thousands of other pages the stories have been told. To the white farmer goes the advantages, and especially to the large corporate farmer, and goodbye to the small family farm, and more so to the black-owned family farm.
Here is Robeson's version:
Here are Waymon's words reflecting upon the plight of the black farmer. These words are copyrighted to me, but feel free to sing them. Sing them loud and sing them with feeling.
No more sleepless nights for me,
Many thousands gone.
No more wonderin’ when for me,
Many thousands gone.
No more govm’t threats to me,
Many thousands gone.
No more idle fields for me,
Many thousands gone.
No more courthouse steps for me,
Many thousands gone.
No more land loss tales for me,
Many thousands gone.
No more hangin’ from a tree,
No more, no more
No more hangin’ from a tree,
Many thousands gone.
No more empty promises for me,
Many thousands gone.
No more IRS duns for me
Many thousands gone.
No more injustices done to me,
No more, no more
No more injustices done to me,
Many thousands gone.
No more courthouse steps for me,
Many thousands gone.
Things to ponder. Many things to ponder.
