To the editor:

Our county commissioners are fixing to sell
our water supply across state lines,
The Green River, The Pacolet, our reservoir – Lake Adger
(will that make them South Carolina badgers?).

A proposal so complicated it makes your head swim,
in return, South Carolina says they’ll fix up our dam,
but not only do they get all the water they want,
the deal is they can sell it from here to Siam.

The county commissioners, I’m sure, are well meaning,
but how close did they look at the fine print clause:
Any future dispute about who’s right and who’s wrong
will be “governed” (oh, yeah) under South Carolina laws.

Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, how this deck has been stacked,
and it ain’t in no favor of a county called Polk,
so we hope – pretty soon! – we can look back and laugh
at South Carolina’s pretty good joke.

Oh, one last thing, the deal says “Time is of the essence,”
because South Carolina wants our water so bad,
Quick! Sign the deal! Give us your water!
Before you discover: You just been had!

 

Lee Lawson Stockdale
Tryon