Rust Belt
Sure, we loved the hats and hoopla
the rhythmic chants of lock her up,
but we are not a stupid people.
We know full well this patchy place
between the slag heaps
and the scrub pine–
these crumbling houses perched behind
the padlocked plant once known
for truck tires,
will never be great—
or even good.
You say rust belt
and mean the measure
of empty factories
and gutted storefronts.
The jobs bled out.
The eyesores left behind to moulder.
But the rust is mostly in us.
Too many years of children
born to little hope.
Too many years of promises
from windbags in dingy union halls
and air-conditioned buses
painted red, white, and blue.
This afternoon, I take my maul
to the wood pile
by the rusted chain link fence.
Crisp and clear,
It is a fine day to bust things up–
And the making
of that splintered shattered kindling
with a body that burns
is as near as I will ever come to joy.
– Steven Deutsch
First published in New Verse News
Sarah Russell Poetry 
This is a wonderful poem, Sarah, thanks for sharing.
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Thanks, Rajani. Proud to say that Steve is in my poetry critique group. We 7 have met every other Saturday morning for over 3 years.
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Reblogged this on days of stone.
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Thanks so much, Ryan!
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Fingers crossed for Steve 🙂
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A desperately good poem, “Rust never sleeps” (Neil Young, Concert, 1971)
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Thanks, Ivors. I think it’s an important statement.
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so wrenching and so timely. it clearly comes from the heart. voted –
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Thanks so much for voting, Beth. And yes. It helped me see the desperation so many are experiencing.
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A desperately good poem, “Rust never sleeps” (Neil Young, Concert, 1971) Fingers crossed for Steve 🙂
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Thanks, Timothy. Alas, Steve came in second in the voting. But a good many people saw his poem, and I hope it made a difference to them in their thinking. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it.
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That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it. But a good many people saw his poem, and I hope it made a difference to them in their thinking.
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I hope so too, Charles. Thank you for stopping by and for following. You might want to try Steve’s blog too — https://stevieslaw.com — witty social commentary and poems on important issues.
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You might want to assay Steve’s blog too — <a href="https://stevieslaw. A desperately respectable poem, “Rust never sleeps” (Neil Young, concert, 1971)
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Steve’s blog is super and his wry take on politics is always spot on. You can go for the poetry and stay for the political satire or vice verse. Thanks for reminding folks about it!
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