HENRY FORD | Veins of Industry
- Greg McNeilly
- Apr 7
- 3 min read
On April 7th, 1947, the world said farewell to Henry Ford, a titan of industry whose vision transformed how people lived, worked, and moved. Born on a Michigan farm in 1863, Ford’s relentless drive led to the creation of the Model T, the rise of the assembly line, and the dawn of an age in which the automobile became not a luxury but a birthright of the working class.
He revolutionized the industry, empowered workers with unprecedented wages, and reshaped the modern economy. Yet his story, like all human stories, is not without shadows. Ford’s troubling forays into anti-Semitic thought remind us that even giants cast complicated silhouettes.
This poem reflects the breadth of his impact—the mechanical marvels, the cultural ripples, the contradictions—and invites us to thoroughly consider both the man and the machine. It is featured in Red, White & Verse and is available here.
HENRY FORD | Veins of Industry
In the wide, wild mural of America untamed,
Came the galloping of horses, in their majesty, unchained.
Iron horses soon followed, on ribbons of steel and steam,
Chasing horizons, painting the landscape of the American dream.
From wagons that bore settlers, to ships of sturdy oak,
They traveled across the waters, under the industry’s yoke.
And yet, the nation, restless, yearned for further reach,
Eager for innovation, with a fervent desire to breach.
Born in Michigan’s heartland, at July’s end in ’63,
A lad named Henry Ford, whose heart was set on industry.
From early years, mechanics lured his keen, industrious mind,
In farm machines and ticking clocks, wonders he’d always find.
Machines were but the stepping stones in this dreamer’s grand pursuit,
Of horseless carriages for all, the common man’s commute.
Courage in his soul, and failure as his tutor,
Ford bore the burden of his dreams, a relentless troubadour.
From the ashes of past failures, like the phoenix, he arose,
And in 1903, Ford Motor Company he chose,
As a vessel for his vision, mobile iron vast,
Model T, a car for all, the die was truly cast.
Into the veins of industry, his innovations flowed,
The assembly line, a ballet of efficiency he showed.
“Fordism,” his doctrine, which held productivity,
Efficiency, and good wages in beautiful synchronicity.
He bestowed upon his workers a living wage so fair,
Five dollars for a day’s toil, a breath of fresh air.
He uplifted their lives, set the economic pace,
In the heart of the worker, Ford found his rightful place.
Yet amidst the glory, a shadow loomed quite stark,
His view on certain people left an indelible mark.
Anti-Semitic publications in his paper took the floor,
Tarnishing his image, a blemish at the core.
In the political arena, he tried
To challenge Newbury, with ambitions wide.
But despite his vast influence and the power he did wield,
In this Senate endeavor, he had to yield.
Though his legacy is mixed, with both shadows and the light,
Henry Ford’s mark on history remains ever so bright.
We recall his inventions but must not forget
All facets of his story in this loom are set.
His influence, like ripples in a great and timeless pond,
Reached far beyond the factory floor of which he was so fond.
The manufacturing realm, the economy, the culture
Were shaped by his hand, like a diligent sculptor.
His patents and designs, the transport revolution,
The democratization of cars, a motoring evolution.
A visionary pioneer in the realm of industry,
His fingerprints upon the world, the tide of history.
In ’47, Ford passed on, but his legacy remains,
In every car, on every road, in every industry’s veins.
His life, a testament to grit, determination’s might,
In the pages of American history, Ford’s name shines bright.
From the seed of one man’s dream, grew an empire vast and wide,
His spirit of invention, his relentless, noble stride.
In the factories, the roads, in the very air we breathe,
The echo of Henry Ford, the legacy he bequeathed.
By Greg McNeilly
