I wanted to be a surveyor,
With never a worldly care.
Living a life of freedom
Way out in the open air.
Climbing stately mountains
Viewing verdant plains
Attune to the song of nature
Hearing its faintest strains.
Far from the city's madness
Free from its every strife
Out in the glorious open
Tasting the wine of life.
Finding the hidden beauties,
Learning to understand
Communing at will with heaven
Feeling the soul expand.
Thats the picture I painted
Then l put my brush away
And I got me a job surveying
So here I am today
Climbing the cussed mountains
Fighting the wicked brush.
Knowing the Chief is crazy,
Wondering why the rush.
Packing a burro‘s burden
Kneeling beneath the yoke
Skin like a Hindu leper
Burning with poison oak
Stumbling on shaley hillsides
inhaling the filthy dust.
Crawling through dirty gulches
Choking at times with thirst.
Why did l leave the city‘?
Where did my reason go’?
What was the lure that led me‘?
Only a fool would know.
Well boys, this is the finish
I’m through with surveying for life
When I hanker again for trouble,
I‘ll marry —— and live with a wife
M. J. McNiff
:stakeout:
Love it
Passed it along to Mrs. Cow, the English teacher who is focusing on poetry with her 7th and 8th grade students at this time. I'll know when she reads it because there will be a roar of consternation concerning the last line.
Love it
Ha! That's the stanzas that got me, too.
Funny thing is, he gave up the life. If you can't go surveying, how do you avoid 'those' troubles. ahhhh: the sunburn, yellow jackets, "neighbors", smoke, rain, briars, vines, stumpholes...................................................
Now that thar' is an amazing tale.
Thanks.
I started out in the snow belt of W MI, and now do climb those stupid mountains in NW AZ. They both won. Having bad feet and Uncle Arther Itis in the knees as my crew doesn't help.... hey but the views are incredible, and on a good day it does pay well.
