No Man’s Land

S. Storms © 2009

VENTURED WEST TO STAKE HIS CLAIM AND THE PROMISE OF A BETTER LIFE WHEN HE REACHED THE CIMARRON RIVER HE TOOK HIMSELF A WIFE. SETTLED DOWN NEAR BOISE CITY BUSTIN’ SOD IN THE AUGUST HEAT TOOK A LOAN OUT FROM THE BANKER TO PLANT A CROP OF WINTER WHEAT. IN THE SPRING OF ’28 A RECORD HARVEST GRACED THE LAND BUT BY THE SUMMER OF 1932 ALL THE EARTH HAD TURNED TO SAND. CHORUS AND THE TUMBLEWEED IS ROLLIN’ BLUE NORTHER’S HOWL AND MOAN BY THE SPRING OF ’35 WE KNEW YA’ REAP JUST WHAT YA’ SOW THEY STAYED BEHIND , THEY STAYED BEHIND I’M A DUST BOWL REFUGEE CUZ MY DADDY WOULD NOT FLEE THIS GODFORSAKEN HOMESTEAD HERE IN NO MAN’S LAND TWENTY TWO CENT A BUSHEL HAD SUPPLY BUT NO DEMAND THE ECONOMY WAS DYIN’ EVEN QUICKER THAN THE LAND THE RAILROAD NEVER MADE IT AND THE BANKS THEY ALL WENT BUST COMMANCHE SPIRITS HAUNTED US AS WE LAY IN OUR BEDS OF DUST THEN MY DADDY PASSED AWAY IN EARLY ’41 I’M JUST A HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER A SOD BUSTER’S SON CHORUS

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