Hoboken Joe, the Iron Worker – Eight Years Later

He said it was - like walking into hell.
He said it was - pretty surreal.
The doctor gave me, he said, another year or two.
He wasn’t a survivor, he was one of the saviors.

Everything happens in its own way;
Every way is not a way we can get through.
Pennies for pain and lunge death -
Breathing medication for free.

The first day, in the first days,
Stayed for weeks – what compensation?
Five hundred dollars a month.
Too sick today to meet the mayor.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/2021 02:43PM by petersz.

peter, I'm curious to know what the inpiration was for this piece.

Les

Les,

The inspiration was an interview on Democracy Now with a man who got lung disease when he went to the buildings destroyed my the attacks on September 11, eight years ago, to help cut out the bodies and survivors. He talked about rushing up there from New Jersey to help because he knew few people had the tools to do the work necessary. The dust from the buildings and from the human bones is still killing him, even though our government officials told everybody it was safe to be at ground zero. I guess the poem is about consequences and responsibilities. At least this man acted responsibly.

amo,

Peter

Peter, thanks for the insight. Yes, the government is still as uncaring as it ever was.

As to your comment on the lyric page. We can still be transferred to Youtube via my links but not directly to the video that matches the lyrics. To do that you have to type in the song title and sort through the choices.


Les

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/12/2021 08:39PM by les712.

Anyone goofy enough to believe the government on anything is going to end up with things like lung disease. There was not time to determine if the area was safe or not, but as a general rule if the air is full of dust it ain't gonna be good for you.
If he went for some reasons, he is a hero, if he went for some other reasons, he is dumb.

Merc,

He said he went because he had the tools to do the work, but that he knew not many people had those tools. Seemed like an ordinary guy to me.

Peter

Reaches hero status then. He knew it was dangerous, but he was the one who could do it, so he went to help others without re: to the danger. Hero.