Joan Butler: They’re all gone now, I got around, & On Vera Street in Ventura

I’d love to put my arms around my mother,
my father, my aunts and uncles,
my grandparents—they’re all gone now
I have a baby sister I’d love to see
Her name was Claire—they’re all gone
I’d love to put my arms around them
You’d better believe it. I would. All gone.

—Joan Butler



I would like to move back to Ventura
if only for one reason
I had a car there, I got around
I’ve nothing against this place.
It’s clean & nice, people are friendly.
But I cant’ get out much, only busses.
If I had a car, I could get around
I once had a car, I knew how to get around.
I’d just like to get out and take a ride
Happiness was going around in my car.
I had a Ford, a ‘54 green Maverick
It was as green as the grass
In it I could out and go bowling
I could go down to the beach
I don’t even like the beach
but I have 2 daughters who loved the beach.
I could work, I’d mow the lawn—
nobody else would do it.
Always had trouble getting the mower started
I’d pull the string and push it around
I’d mow, mow, mow, just pushing it around
That’s the way it was—going to get mowed down.

—Joan Butler



I can remember my home
on Vera Street in Ventura
The front yard, I had a green Ford Fairlane,
the back yard had a peach tree
and an avocado tree too
I remember eating them in green salads
I had a lemon tree too. We made lemonade
And if anyone wanted lemons off that tree
I always let them have them.
The back yard was big, bigger than the front yard
I didn’t mind mowing the lawns—
I mowed the lawns. I mowed them all
I didn’t mind it all. It had to be done.
I had a bird, a green parakeet
And a plain old brown dog named Chiquito
And if anybody came knocking on the door
He’d bark and bark and bark, the way dogs do.
I know I buried him in a shoe box in the back yard
I buried him up close to the house
I buried him right outside the bedroom window.
He was a very good watchdog.
If anyone came to the door
He did what all dogs do good
He’d guard the door,
I guess he guarded the window too.

—Joan Butler