by Travis Mateer
It’s true, just after recording my Labor Day poem in front of Stockman’s Bank, I heard “give me all your money!” so I looked up and luckily recognized two of the three homeless men strolling drunkenly down the sidewalk.
I think they were kidding. Or they recognized me and decided not to mug me. Either way, it was good to retain the few dollars I have in my wallet! Enjoy the holiday, Missoula!
Labor Day, morale is low at the bagel shop no labor showed but I saw him and he saw me and we conversed while we're still free to examine how the law pretends they are NOT steroid finger men but worthy of a deep respect behind the shield? we're left to guess what motivates the Teflon vests? a high desire to do their best? or violent fun and getting famous while Gonzo Googles old Mandamus? simple slogan conservative minds bumper sticker for strong blue lines while Red Rant Joe channels V to civil war with Q belief your alphabet is fucking dumb you worship moons and kill for suns all for what? to anchor names? transform your flesh to immortal stains? Labor Day, morale is low at the bagel shop no labor showed but I saw him and he saw me and we conspired while we're still free to examine how words abuse offering choices you cannot choose so refuse!
JC
Dang it all, anyway! What is the world coming to? I think the Broadway Bagels are the best and am disappointed when I show up there only to find it closed because they cannot produce workers to man (woman?) the shop.
Any rate, I loved the way you read your poem to us last Saturday while we were picketing the Farmer’s Market at the carousel. There is so much truth in those lines. I would add one sentence to it at the very end if it was mine–“Just say no.”
Keep up the good work.
Hey, Roger,
I”m ignorant regarding the reason for picketing farmer’s market. I’m not happy about the increased commercialzation of Caras Park, but I’m not hip to what’s up with farmer’s market or why it’s being picketed. I’d like to be enlightened…or at least informed. Thanks.
Great poem.
Labor Day, let’s not forget, was made a national holiday at Grover Cleveland’s behest in order to keep Americans from celebrating labor solidarity on May Day. Socialist thought was rampant and the Second Industrial Revolutionary Capitalists were worried. So worried, that a few industries decided to move to a six-day, 10-hour/day qprk week and to even pay for work required beyond those hours. Others actually agreed to unchain workers from their machines. My wife’s father was one so chained.
The National Labor Relations Act was enacted not to advance workers’ freedom, but to stave off indiustrial waefare. The linchpin of the legislation and its progeny was the banning of industrial unionizing, in favor of discrete trade unionism, and ahop-by-shop, to boot, with the attendant emasculation of worker power.
ONE BIG UNION!