Pastures of Plenty
Harvesting Dreams: Migrant Tales from Pastures of Plenty
Lyrics
It's a mighty hard row that my poor hands have hoed
Expressing the difficulty of the labor the speaker has performed.
My poor feet have traveled that hot dusty road
Describing the extensive journey and hardship endured by the speaker.
Out of the dust bowl and westward we rolled
Referring to the migration from the dust bowl towards the western region.
Your desert was hot and your mountains were cold
Contrasting the hot desert with the cold mountains.
I've worked in your orchards of peaches and prunes
Detailing the speaker's labor in orchards, highlighting agricultural work.
I've slept on the ground in the light of your moon
Describing sleeping outdoors under the moon's light.
On the edge of your city you've seen us and then
Noting the presence of migrant workers on the outskirts of the city.
We come with the dust and we go with the wind
Emphasizing the transient nature of migrant workers, coming and going with the wind.
California, arizona, I make all your crops
Listing states where the speaker works in various crops.
Then north up to oregon to gather your hogs
Moving north to Oregon for hog gathering, depicting diverse labor.
Pull the beets from your ground, cut the grapes from your vine
Describing tasks like pulling beets and cutting grapes for consumption.
To set on your table your light, sparkling wine
Connecting labor to the production of wine for tables.
Green pastures of plenty from dry desert ground
Highlighting the abundance of fertile pastures arising from arid desert ground.
From the grand coulee dam where the water runs down
Referencing the Grand Coulee Dam and the importance of water in agriculture.
Every state in this union us migrants have been
Stating that migrant workers have contributed to every state in the country.
We'll work in your fight and we'll fight til we win
Expressing commitment to labor rights and the struggle for victory.
Well it's always we ramble that river and I
Conveying a sense of continuous journey and exploration along rivers.
All along your green valley I'll work til I die
Expressing dedication to working in green valleys until death.
My land I'll defend with my life if need be
Declaring readiness to defend one's land with life if necessary.
Cause my pastures of plenty must always be free
Asserting the importance of freedom for the speaker's abundance of resources.
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