Lyrics
We parted from the hills and landed solid on the plain
We left the hills and settled on the plains
The sky was blue as wide as eye could see
The sky was vast and blue
And the prairie grasses blew in the wind and in the rain
Prairie grasses swayed in the wind and rain
We knew the land was calling out our name
We felt a connection to the land
In the Spring of ’31, we would harvest in the sun
In 1931, we worked in the sun
A job well done was its own prize
Success was its own reward
But there was nothing we could do by the Fall of ‘32
By 1932, challenges emerged
They came like moving mountains in disguise
Adversity arrived unexpectedly
And the land was rearranged before our eyes
The landscape changed before our eyes
Dust to breathe and dust to eat
Dust became an integral part of life
Dust to drink in when we sleep
Dust permeated every aspect, even sleep
Couldn’t tell the darkness from the day
Discerning day from night became difficult
Like 2 midnights in a jug
Darkness persisted, creating a disorienting experience
The dusters barreled down on us
Dust storms approached rapidly
The only thing that we could do was wait
We were helpless, waiting for the storm to pass
And hope our prayers would make it through to heaven’s gate
We hoped our prayers would reach heaven
With God we begged and bartered
We pleaded and bargained with God
What didn’t work we tried it harder
We tried everything, hoping for a better tomorrow
Tomorrow might be better than today
Optimism for a brighter future
In the stillness laid between
In the silence, we held onto our dreams
We fixed our eyes and dreamed
Despite challenges, we envisioned a better future
And said I’m sorry I cannot bring down the rain
We expressed regret for being unable to control the weather
Maybe next year we’ll be on our feet again
Hoping for recovery in the coming year
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