POLITICS AT THE COTTON GIN...1925

In the first grade (in 1939)

   at old La Casita school

every noonday...

     

     there was a GANG

of little boys, running 

   around and around the 

playground as if to trample

   the whole world

and anything else that 

       got in front 

  of their galloping way...

They made "TADA- LUNT..

   TADA...LUNT" sounds

as if on horseback...

They had a LEADER....his

    nickname was "HOOKY"

He ran in front...five paces

    ahead

As I grew into a little person

   on this earth, I was 

learning an important human

    principle...early on...

and not necessarily a

    happy or attractive one

On this journey of life 

    we will meet people

whose main purpose in life---

      whose supreme plan,

 motive, reason-for-living and

      being, is to 

  "BE IN CHARGE..."

   

       And to achieve

  personal greatness, fame, 

   power, position, office,

tile, and maybe above all---

    RECOGNITION... read it:

          IMPORTANCE !

It is obvious everywhere

    in life--- (ad nauseum)

 all walks---look around---

     "CHIEFS" are abundant

It seemed to be inescapable

   and there was more

often than not a  TRAIT

     nearly all lacked---

"HUMILITY."

Many times I saw this

    and pondered it,

and rather disdained it

    and just a little of this 

stuff

     "went a long long way 

with me."

And I wondered, why does

    this political trait 

humans all seem to have---

    IRK me?

Is it in my genes? 

    Did I inherit it

somehow from a forbear?

Then...

One day, going through some

     songs and poems

written long ago by my dear

    old grandfather,  a humble

Texas cotton-farmer, who worked

    hard his whole life

just to raise his family...and exist---

I found a poem dated 1925, written

    by him:

"POLITICS AT THE COTTON GIN."

***************

MIL

19 FEB 2017