We Have Done Our Hitch In Hell

A Poem By June Berdet Denman, CCC Enrollee, Oro Grande, New Mexico

I AM SITTING HERE AND THINKING OF THE THINGS

I HAVE LEFT BEHIND.

AND I HATE TO PUT ON PAPER WHAT IS

GOING THROUGH MY MIND.

WE HAVE DUG A MILLION DITCHES AND CLEANED

TEN MILES OF GROUND.

CLEANER PLACES THIS SIDE OF HELL, ARE

WAITING TO BE FOUND.

BUT THERE IS SOME CONSULATION SO GATHER

CLOSE WHILE I TELL,

WHEN WE DIE WE GO TO HEAVEN, WE HAVE

DONE OUR HITCH IN HELL.

WE HAVE BUILT A MILLION KITCHENS FOR COOKS

TO STEW OUR BEANS,

WE HAVE STOOD A MILLION MOUNTS AND

CLEANED THE CAMP LATRINES.

THE NUMBER OF TREES WE HAVE CHOPPED

IS VERY HARD TO TELL.

THERE WILL BE NO TREES IN HEAVEN WE

HAVE CHOPPED OUR TREES IN HELL.

WE HAVE DUG A MILLION DITCHES AND WALKED

THROUGH MILES OF MUD.

WE HAVE WASHED A MILLION MESS KITS AND

CLEANED TEN MILLION SPUDS.

WE HAVE SHOVELED TONS OF GRAVEL,

MOVED MORE ROCKS THAN WE CAN TELL.

WE WILL LUG NO ROCKS IN HEAVEN,

WE LUGGED OUR ROCKS IN HELL.

THE NUMBER OF NIGHT WE HAVE FROZEN AS

LOW AS THE MERCURY FELL,

WE WILL NOT FREEZE IN HEAVEN, WE HAVE

DONE OUR HITCH IN HELL.

WE HAVE HEARD A MILLION WHISTLES BLOW

FROM MORNING UNTIL NIGHT.

WE WOULD LIKE TO KILL THE DIRTY BUMS

THAT ROB US OF OUR RIGHTS.

THE FOREMEN WE HAVE OVER US, HOW MANY

WE CANNOT TELL,

WE WILL BAR THEM ALL FROM HEAVEN TILL

THEY DO THEIR HITCH IN HELL.

WHEN THE FINAL CALLS HAVE SOUNDED

AND WE LAY AWAY LIFES CARES,

WE WILL DO A FINAL BIG PARADE RIGHT

UP THOSE GOLDEN STAIRS.

THE ANGELS THERE WILL WELCOME US,

THEIR HARPS WILL START TO PLAY.

WE WILL DRAW A MILLION CANTEEN BOOKS

AND SPEND THEM ALL THAT DAY.

AND THERE WE WILL HEAR SAINT PETER

GREET US WITH A YELL,

TAKE THOSE FRONT SEATS YOU "C.C.C." BOYS,

YOU HAVE DONE YOUR HITCH IN HELL.

----- Written by June Berdet Denman

         CCC Enrollee, Oro Grande, New Mexico

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