This New Technological Stuff by Ben Eggleton takes a humorous look at something every generation seems to experience — the arrival of new technology and the suspicion that this time, surely, it’s all gone too far.
From scythes and forks to reapers, tractors and headers, Ben follows several generations of one farming family as the machinery changes, the work gets easier and the same old worries keep getting passed down. It’s a good country yarn about progress, changing times and how some conversations never really change.
This New Technological Stuff
By Ben Eggleton
Old ginger he stood up, stretched his back
Drew from his pocket his old stained rag
Mopped his sweated brow, sighed, took a drink
Looked across to his son, said with a grin
” Gee I reckon their making our work harder
This technological thing they’ve got goin
Why, look at this, they’ve put an extra spike
In this old fork that I’ve been usin
As well as two inches on the blade of me scythe
Then there’s these new lightweight shoes on me orses “
Well duly noted by his son, these thoughts of his dad
He grinned, then smiled, made a blatant comment ” YUP “
Back to work they went, scythe cutting the grain
Then stood stacking with the new fanged forks
Their horses stood patiently waiting, tails swishing
Old Ginger heard a noise, stood, looked, ” what in the hell’s that”
His eyes inside his head as big as dishwasher
The son stood up, then, with a shake of his head ” dunno”
Across the fence in the neighbours paddock
Was a new reaper and binder taking away their jobs.
” I tell ya son, this new technological stuff well
It’s gonna have us all in the poor house soon, I reckon”
His son grinned, then smiled, made another blatant comment ” Yup”
Well the time did come a reaper and binder did come their way
The poor house, well, it never came about
Old Ginger learned to work sitting down on the machine
His son coming along making the stocks from bundles behind
Old Ginger looked across at his son, wry smile on his face
” Gee, this makes it quicker and a bit easier on us son”
The smile, gone from his sons face, with a shake of his head ” Dunno”
Old Ginger has since passed on, his son still worked
On the farm, with the grain his son by his side
The reaper and binder held it repose, under the Mallee tree
Horses near gone as thirty years went by
Replaced by the huffing and puffing of the tractors
Dragging headers that cut a mighty eight feet
He looke across at Gingers grandson, said with a grin
” This new technological stuff, it’ll have us in the poor house soon”
Gingers grandson, grinned, then smiled, made a blatant comment ” Yup”
The bags he filled all stacked in short neat rows.
The years marched on and stories get passed along
About how Old Ginger decryed about times changed
How this technological stuff was going to have them all
Firmly ensconced within the walls of the poor house
The great grandson, smiled, looked across at his son
” If this is the poorhouse, bring it on, give me more of it now”
With a smile upon his face, the great great grandson just said
” Yup, you know, I reckon Dad, if Old Ginger could see us now
He would be turning in his grave to see what we do
In five minutes that would take them all day”
The firm reply from his dad was “Yup, I reckon you’re probably right”
Watch/Listen Ben Eggleton Recite This New Technological Stuff
Ben recorded this recital himself, giving us the chance to preserve the poem not only in his own words, but in his own voice and performance.
Keeping The Verse Alive
This New Technological Stuff is shared with permission from Ben Eggleton as part of Keeping The Verse Alive, Country Campfire’s bush poetry preservation project.
Ben Eggleton
Bush Poet • Songwriter • Storyteller
A passionate storyteller of rural Australia, Ben Eggleton has shared original poetry and music through recordings, performances and published works. Known as The Bard From The Scrub, his work helps preserve the people, places and traditions that shape country life.
Poems, recitals, photographs, stories and original works remain the property of their original creator and are shared by Country Campfire with permission.
