A LEFSE FOLDER'S BALLAD

I wrote the following poem which accompanied my application for a bakery job in Stanwood WA in the early 1980's, but was turned down because the manager thought I was overqualified and wouldn't be content to fold lefse for a living. He was wrong.

A LEFSE FOLDER'S BALLAD

After working for a city as a top-notch finance clerk,
And selling licenses, and filing paperwork,
An offer of free land arrived from good friends in Missouri
So we sold our home and stored our things and left in quite a hurry.

We dripped a lot of sweat upon that piece of land we had,
And dreamed new dreams for our son, and for his mom and dad;
There were Amish living down the road who lived like olden days,
Who greatly love their heritage and taught us of their ways.

But as the winter weather came to make its first attack,
Our cabin wasn't finished, so we thought of moving back;
We looked around Missouri, 'tis a lovely place indeed,
But evergreens and Puget Sound and home are what I need.

Our time there wasn't wasted, but only set the stage
For a new love for work and for my heritage,
And since I'm Scandinavian and of honorable descent
We came of course to Stanwood, an old Norsk settlement.

I've many relatives in town and long to find each one,
And love to write so plan a family newsletter for fun;
But first I have to find a job to earn my living here;
I love to work and need to work; the problem's very clear.

But getting older as I am, I'm getting very picky;
My job should make folks happy, including my wife Micki;
Like working in a bakery would be like working at the top,
Having people treat themselves until their tummies pop.

Such a job would make amends and sweep beneath the mat
All those years in city hall as a government bureaucrat;
And I can't think of any job nearer the Northern Sea
Than folding lefse, of all things, at the Scandia Bakery!

How else could I have said all this, except for writing verse?
But for this, I'd go on and on, and never be so terse;
I know my poetry has a lot to be desired,
But pray to God that, as it is, it'll help to get me hired.



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