Po' Folks
Rising Above Poverty: Connie Smith's Tale of Resilience
Lyrics
There's a whole lotta people lookin' down their noses at me
People look down on the speaker because of their non-wealthy background.
'Cause I didn't come from a wealthy family
The speaker faced judgment due to not coming from a wealthy family.
There was ten of us livin' in a two room shack
There were ten people living in a cramped two-room dwelling.
On the banks of the river by the railroad track
The family lived by a river, near a railroad track, suggesting a humble setting.
We kept chickens in a pen in the back
Chickens were kept in a pen at the back of the house.
And everybody said we was po' folks
Despite their circumstances, the community labeled them as poor folks.
My daddy was a farmer but all he ever raised was us
The father was a farmer, but the family struggled financially.
Dug a forty foot well struck thirty-six gallons of dust
The father's efforts resulted in little success, emphasizing poverty.
Salvation Army give us clothes to wear
The Salvation Army provided clothes for the family.
A man from the county came to cut our hair
A county man came to cut their hair, highlighting their dependence on charity.
We lived next door to a millionaire
They lived near a millionaire, emphasizing the contrast between rich and poor.
But we wadn't nothin' but po' folks
Despite the proximity, they were still considered nothing more than poor folks.
We was po' folks livin' in a rich folks world
Living in a wealthy society, they were poor folks facing challenges.
We sure was a hungry bunch
The family often experienced hunger.
If the wolf had ever come to our front door
Humorous expression that they were so poor that even a wolf at the door would need a picnic lunch.
He'd've had to brought a picnic lunch
Continuation of the humor, emphasizing extreme poverty.
My grandaddy's pension was a dollar and thirty-three cents
Grandfather's pension was meager, contributing to financial struggles.
That was ten dollar less than the landlord wanted for rent
The pension was insufficient to meet the landlord's rent demands.
The landlord's letters got nasty indeed
Landlord's letters became hostile as they struggled to pay rent.
He wrote get out but pa couldn't read
The father couldn't read the eviction notice due to illiteracy.
And we was too broke to even pay heed
They were too broke to respond to the eviction notice.
But that's how it is when you're po' folks
Describing the harsh reality of being poor folks.
We was po' folks livin' in a rich folks world
Reiteration of the challenges of being poor in a wealthy society.
We sure was a hungry bunch
Recurrence of the family's persistent hunger.
If the wolf had ever come to our front door
Continuation of the metaphorical wolf at the door representing poverty.
He'd've had to brought a picnic lunch
Emphasizing the severity of their financial struggles.
But we had something in our house money can't buy
Despite poverty, they had something priceless that money couldn't buy.
Kept us warm in the winter cool when the sun was high
The family possessed love that provided warmth and comfort.
For whenever we didn't have food enough
In times of scarcity, they patched the cracks and shared meals with love.
And the howlin' winds would get pretty rough
Reference to harsh weather conditions and their resilience.
We patched the cracks and set the table with love
Despite challenges, they maintained a sense of love and togetherness.
Cause that's what you do when you're po' folks
Emphasizing the resilience and resourcefulness of poor folks.
And we weren't nothin' but po' folks
Final affirmation of their identity as poor folks.
My mom and my dad was po' folks
Repetition emphasizing the family's status as poor folks.
My brother and my sister was po' folks
Extended family members, including siblings, shared the same impoverished status.
My dog and my cat was po' folks
Even pets like the dog and cat were considered poor folks.
And even the po' folks was po' folks
Concluding with a reminder that everyone in their world, including poor folks, was struggling.
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