THE PEACE RIVER

(FALSE PROMISES IN DEPRESSION DAYS)

Deep loam! Rain! Lots of sunshine!
The Peace River district sounded so fine!
Short growing season, but no crop failure history,
News travelled so fast! It was no mystery!
Too proud, to get help, up until now,
My old dad would not budge!
He'd get through bad times, somehow!
Another go-round, with the Russian Thistle, so...
Mother would try, to get her garden to grow,
Hope to keep the dust, from filling up every room,
Government help wouldn't be a day too soon!
Bennett Buggies were common, but I bought,
An old truck, for ten bucks,
Neighbours helped and wished us good luck!
Going North! Meeting many others doing the same!
We all joined together, like an old wagon train!
Roads were so bad, we'd send scouts to check "puddles",
To make sure they wouldn't "bottom out" giving real troubles!
Mechanical breakdowns....but....also many good times, too,
Farmers are mechanically inclined and know what to do!
>From Alberta to British Columbia, that very week,
Real trouble came, there at Dawson Creek!
The Government had deceived all of us,
When they had said, "Go north" before,
All the FREE LAND was gone, there wasn't any more!
Except for a couple of places, they had abandoned, so,
The Land Clerk explained, folks weren't "tough",
They just gave up and had to go!
There was a log house, barn....but, only ONE,
Four hopefuls, knew what must be done!
We picked a number, from one to fifty and...
I won, but I had compassion and an innovative plan!
All four families could move, into my home,
Best to work together, instead of all alone!
We'd clear land nearby and help each get a start,
It could work, just fine, if we all did our part!
We would work, like blazes and we'd be able,
My house was a dormitory...17 kids around the table,
10 cows...4 horses....but, no seeder...no way!
Seeded by hand...........as in the Biblical Day!
Put in a huge garden! Built a trail over muskeg!
Ate and slept well....no need for us to beg!
Fall was great! Lots of deer and moose!
Meat, porridge, milk, eggs and even wild goose!
All went well....until....WINTER......unrelented!!
Enough to make all of us, unquestionably demented!
Spring came! Creeks overflowed!
Flooded our log place!
Government funds were fictitious
Such a DISGRACE!!
Mac's little girl died! No doctor nearby!
A four day blizzard! We couldn't even try!
Around our fire, we'd often say,
The Government's happy,
We're out of their hair, this way!
Out of sight! Out of mind! In more ways than one!!
Out of patience! Out of sweat! Our days here were done!
Back to the praries, heat, rust, hoppers and mud, too,
In that very moment, our dreams all fell through!
Life was impossible! Fate, so unkind!
Another better way.....we'd just have to find!

Pauline Banning
W4-1068-98-D14

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