Pleasant Valley

The extended family circa July 1950.

I Remember Pleasant Valley
By Norman P. Gibbard (May you rest in peace.)

You ask me where at I was raised from
Well now, it ain't all that easy to say
For its many a year and then some
Since the days when I used to play
At the creekbank there on the corner
Just down from the house a ways -
In a valley that was pert' near perfect
(If you don't count us bein' so poor)
Pleasant Valley - you could sure bet your heart on
They don't make 'em like that anymore.
Our farm there was almost a sandhill farm
But the crops were middlin' fair
You could turn a board most anyplace
And find some fishin' worms there.
The cows that we had showed about half bad
But they sure brought the groceries home
And when winters got steep and the snow was eye-deep
You'd thought we was livin' in Nome.
We had barrel-stave skis you just wouldn't b'lieve
And suicide jumps without peer
There was 5:30 get-up-and-go-to-the-barn
When the frost would plain take off an ear.
Now the times on occasion was fitted for talk
And grownups 'd swap stories a few,
Where to make a point rightly and carry the day
Just any old word wouldn't do
Y'd hear "my stars and body" and "ain't it the truth" and "what's this here world comin' to."
Halloween? hey - some I won't remember
There was too much bedevlin' games
Like the haywagon sittin' on toppa the barn -
But you won't catch me namin' no names.
Now, a mile down the road in the summer sun
Through a swamp where the river rolls
Us boys'd peel off ever' stitch
And jump in that swimmin' hole
To dive and swim like we all had fins
Til the shank of a day of fun
Sent us sprintin' for home to slop the hogs
And git the milkin' done.
Sure, we had a bell-ringin' red school house
A good'un as times would allow
With a re-cital seat in the front of the room
And plenty of desks to go 'round.
And the learnin' was fine, but at recess time
The boys would 'most break a leg -
To be first brave at the indian grave
For a game of mumblypeg.
What say? - would I have it all over again?
No, I don't guess I would, that's for sure
T'was another time, t'was another place
And I just don't live there anymore.