My first cousin once removed Theron Cota was once a published poet. He was not very well known, in fact probably not known at all outside of Canton/Pierrpont. However; I do know that the following poem (written in 1932 while Franklin D Roosevelt was running for President) was published in the local Canton newspaper in 1980:

A Farmer’s Thought

I am no politician, am glad to say
I earn my bread in an honest way
I have a job with little pay
Thousands of others in the same way,
Have many debts with no money to pay.
I have no pull in the political ring,
Just the same I can whistle and sing.

Franklin says he will give us beer,
What will he do with all that’s here?
Our leaders will smile and grasp our hand,
Promise everything good that’s in our land;
All they want is our ignorant votes
They know darn well we’re billy goats.

They sit and smoke in an easy chair,
I will not mention Senator Thayer.
I cannot read or make a speech.
Those that can are hard to reach.
But after all is said and done,
Their pockets full of worn out fun,
We have both parties on the run.

A Sod Buster

Canton, NY