The Farmer

The farmer wakes long before dawn settles.

Sleepy creatures stir

as the sound of grain 

landing in the sturdy bucket

fills the air.

The black lab

chases after the morning chores,

finding warmth in the farmer's pats.

Calloused hands tell the story 

of nurturing to tender ground.

Each field,

cared for delicately. 

Every stalk that wisps in

the autumn wind

hums in the farmer's ears.

This piece received the Special Award for First-time entrant from the Iowa Poetry Association and was published in their anthology, Lyrical Iowa.

This piece was featured in the Telepoem Booth, a public art piece. One can dial-a-poem for no charge in the 1970s phone booth. When dialing my poem, an audio recording of me reading "The Farmer" can be heard. Their online Iowa directory can be found by clicking here.