Everybody Had a Maid ~ A poem by Marvin Gershowitz

Everybody had a Maid 
a poem – by: Marvin F Gershowitz ©

Everybody had a Maid 
Every man use to be Rich in Texas
When I was a kid
My Gramp-pa had a furniture store
Made beds – Sold readymade too
He had nice people working for him
and every one of them had a home
And Mom was a QUEEN
And every WOMAN Equal at the beauty parlor
A person could raise a family even just beginning
So there were a lot of happy homes
You knew the police – Some fought in wars
And all of them wanted peace
Fruit was available sometime of the year
It was natural, it was good, and it was cheap
Where ever I went ‘mom’s’ fed me
Rich or Poor food was on every shelf
But that wasn’t always true across the Rio Grande
Poor folks walking the street, all pretty nice.
But food was HIGH because the Peso was Low
And here folks go there & get cigarettes
Bring them home by the truck loads
… Even the border patrol.
Men were ready to work if you need help
Some had cards and some didn’t
Most folks had a regular Maid
She lived in the house for 5 days
And go home to another on Friday
Folks in the Projects they’d find a young girl
14 or 15 years old - who for a place to live
Food on the table - they’d stay and work
Everybody had a Maid!

Marvin Gershowitz lives in Calfornia