Ron Rash Poem on Textile Mill Owner

   Ron Rash is a friend. Another friend and I worked on an adaptation of his novel One Foot in Eden for the Big Screen. At least two Oscar nominees became attached in the process but after ten years it all evaporated.

    I read his poem The Last Interview in Easley SC Thursday night open mike at the Library. Put it in context of some drama in Gaffney in late 70s. Also mentioned I was on national TV twenty odd years ago in a video response to the PBS Documentary the Uprising of 34.

       The Last Interview

        Thats an early picture on the wall

       painted the year I graduated from

Princeton University, the year

I took my first trip to the continent,

But I digress. You spoke of exploitation

The working man's abuse by men like me.

If they are so abused why don't they go back

to the farms they flee to work in mills,

become Vanderbilt Agrarians

quoting Cicero as they slop their hogs.

In thirty four when the union leaders came

and promised everything they could, then more,

my workers stuck with me. My workers kneew

I'd take care of them. Eureka ran

when other mills shut down. I took a loss

 so they could have some work. Noblesse Oblige

is an idea we still live by in the South.

All Men created equal? Yes Perhaps

but see how soon we sort the top ones out.

Watch any group of childrenn, they have leaders,

followers and stragglers. It does not change

as they grow older. No one questions rank in war of Politics so why not business.

Don't think that I am stupid. I see your pen

hasn't moved since this interview began.

You'll slant what I have said to fit your needs. I know how writers work, their luxury

of always being outside looking in,

passing easy judgments while they risk

nothing of their own, mere dilettantes.

Your words mean nothing to me. I know the truth.

I gave them more than they ever had.