Every year the Florida Folk Association has a song-writing contest. There are many wonderful entries and a couple of years ago I thought I might try my luck at it. Don't know what made me think I could do half the job the songwriters do. The song had to be about Florida of course.
I wrote a song about my momma and my daddy and how I came to be a half breed (Yankee and Rebel) from Florida named "Cracker" Crumbs. I had planned to play it to a soft, sweet tune on a dulcimer and sing it some day but, I never thought it complete, so it sits on the shelf.
I used some of the words from my song to fit into this poem below about the bad ducks meeting their fate in our Florida Gator Pit.
A Ducks Fate in the Florida Gator Pit
Rustlin’ leaves of palm trees blowin', sweet scents of flowers flow.
Gators eyes at twilight glowin’, and swamp tides running low.
Shore birds on the sandy beaches, beneath a sky so blue.
A gator pit has come to be, just for a duck like you.
Stone gray wonder, the manatee, the dolphins flyin' high.
You misdiagnose just one more friend, and in the pit you'll fly.
Skeeters hatching, wetlands hum,
The gators eat ducks one by one.
We tried to warn them, See the light!
But they were never all that bright!
Raging storms with lots of thunder, blowing winds will take you under.
But don't fear that I say, old duck, you have just run out of luck.
Hot summer heat, but it won't kill.
Old slymie swamps, you'll git your fill.
The bugs as big as dinner plates.
But... the gator pit will be your fate.
You can kiss yer butt good bye, for being such a duck.
We only wanted you to help, but at that, you did suck.
Rustlin1 leaves of palm trees blowin1, sweet scents of flowers flow.
Gators eyes at twilight glowin’, and swamp tides running low.
Tincup