Celery Stalks Along The Highway! Poem by Sidi Mahtrow

Celery Stalks Along The Highway!



There they be
Little vegetable trees
Cut off in the prime of life
No telling their pain or strife.

Green, as they grew in fertile soil
A product of man’s unceasing toil
In the muck lands they grew so well
A few miles from the Gulf they did dwell.

Then with a blade, the “stoop-back” cut
The top from the plant growing in th’ muck
And tossed it into the basket that he drew
Along with the others, in the crew.

Washed in a drench of chlorine waters
To rid the plant of toxic others
Then into a bag of plastic they were placed
After trimming off unwanted waste.

Into boxes they rest, quite secure
The trip north to be endured
Til in the early morning light
They arrive to the shopper’s delight.

Displayed, Oh so pretty, in the stack
(new ones always placed in the back)
To twart the housewife’s being selective
In choosing the best of the festive.

Homeward bound go the stalks
Away from others (if only they could talk)
About the injustice of it all
Life; they gave it all.

“Celery Stalks Along the Highway! ”


It is said that the band, while riding along in their bus were practicing for their next show when one of the members happened to look out the window and saw the celery farms outside of Sarasota. He cried out, “Celery Stalks Along the Highway! ”, which became the only words in the song which became popular. The name of the band, I know not.
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