PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

On a hot summers day

     sunlight beating down

black asphalt radiates

     the sun’s burning heat

with the stink of diesel fumes

     and the screech of air brakes

the tractor painted white

     pulling a trailer oh so long

they called and gathered us

     to form a line so long

pushed up the rolling door

     threw out a 40 pound case

cases heavy and white

     smelling of citrus sharp

filled with fruit orange

     called out 52’s

started a sing song chant

     with every case they threw

we pass them down the chain

     each case caught and then thrown on

sweating in hot sun light

     young muscles with effort strained

as the chant went on

     till called out 44’s

the older men did stop

     the endless cases thrown

with smiles they gathered around

     us youth gathered behind

the case they opened then

     with oranges so large filled

each one they did pass on

     till each of us had one

an orange so big had I

     never seen before

and soon I was to learn

     the very reason why

every orange in the case we ate

     each and every one

 till the 44’s were gone

     and then we continued on

a lesson I did learn

     of oranges never seen

and never found in stores

     a case of 44’s