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Pissin’ on Mansfield

John Leinberger 1963 (United States)

Lyric
The drugstore closed in ‘09, after Walmart came to town
The post office’s open from 10 – 2, least while it’s still around
The big city pulls all the kids away
Ain’t no jobs in this here ‘ville
Seems like the whole world is pissin’ on Mansfield
And the shit’s all running down hill
 
The farmers still gather at the Feed and Seed
But there’s no trains ridin’ on our rails
We got one stoplight and a dead end street
A part-time cop and a plywood jail
It’s Friday night and there ain’t no doubt
There’s a cold beer in the can
Girls dancin’ and singin’ the night away
To a honky-tonk, rock and roll band
 
Seems like the whole world’s pissin’ on Mansfield
And the shit’s all running down hill
We gotta get outta this town while we still can
Find a way while we have the will.
 
The years roll by like a thunder cloud
And the wind brushes back our hair
The crickets chirp but not too loud
And our faces show a little more wear
I guess it’s too late for you and me
We lost the way and we lost the will
Cause the whole world’s pissin’ on Mansfield
And we’re at the bottom of the hill.

About this poem

Mansfield is a small town in Central Illinois and also the name of a major US manufacturer of toilets and urinals. One night at a concert, inspiration struck

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Written on March 01, 2010

Submitted by ileini86 on March 28, 2023

Modified on April 11, 2023

1:04 min read
5

Quick analysis:

Scheme aabcdC xxxxxebx dCec fgfgxcdc
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,121
Words 216
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 6, 8, 4, 8
Full analysis for Pissin’ on Mansfield »

Discuss the poem Pissin’ on Mansfield with the community...

1 Comment
  • AIDA
    AIDA
    Wow, this poem really captures the struggles and challenges that small towns face when larger corporations come in and take over. Despite the obstacles that the residents of Mansfield face, the poem still manages to paint a picture of a close-knit community that sticks together in tough times. It's inspiring to see the farmers still gathering at the Feed and Seed, and the girls dancing and singing the night away despite the hardships.

    One area that could be improved upon is perhaps offering some solutions or suggestions for how the town could turn things around. While it's important to acknowledge the difficulties that Mansfield faces, it would be great to see a glimmer of hope for the future of the town. Maybe some outside investors could come in and start up new businesses, or the town could invest in creating new opportunities for its residents.

    Overall, this poem is a powerful commentary on the state of small towns in America and the need for communities to come together and support each other in the face of adversity.     
    LikeReply1 year ago

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"Pissin’ on Mansfield" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 31 Oct. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/155189/pissin’-on-mansfield>.

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