Welcome words
to the soldier standing in line
He showed up early, early, early, for formation
Drill Instructor fudged for early
Shavetail lieutenant fudged for early
and our recruit was being cautious!
So there he was
standing in formation
spit spot all shined
waiting, waiting, waiting
Company, TEN HUT!!!
Inspection
Eyes forward, don’t move!
“Sir! Yes Sir!”
Finally, “Company! At Ease!
Breathe.
Springtime, early morning dark
farmers are stirring
birds are chirping pre dawn
Out of bed, out the house,
shed doors roll open
Engines come to life
deep toned diesels throbbing
almost like horses pawing, anxious
for inspection
Put ‘er in gear
pull back on the throttle
Roll, baby roll!
The smell of fresh stirred earth
the sun warming the soil
seeds dropping into soft, moist sanctuary
Back and forth, fill the planter
back and forth all day
Sun going down
lights on
back and forth
to the soldier standing in line
He showed up early, early, early, for formation
Drill Instructor fudged for early
Shavetail lieutenant fudged for early
and our recruit was being cautious!
So there he was
standing in formation
spit spot all shined
waiting, waiting, waiting
Company, TEN HUT!!!
Inspection
Eyes forward, don’t move!
“Sir! Yes Sir!”
Finally, “Company! At Ease!
Breathe.
Springtime, early morning dark
farmers are stirring
birds are chirping pre dawn
Out of bed, out the house,
shed doors roll open
Engines come to life
deep toned diesels throbbing
almost like horses pawing, anxious
for inspection
Put ‘er in gear
pull back on the throttle
Roll, baby roll!
The smell of fresh stirred earth
the sun warming the soil
seeds dropping into soft, moist sanctuary
Back and forth, fill the planter
back and forth all day
Sun going down
lights on
back and forth
Seeds sprout quickly
shoots poke through the surface
like swimmers bursting from the deep
leaves unfold and stretch to the sun
growing like crazy, happy
A giant switch somewhere
stops the growth, cries ‘It’s finished”
and a crop is ready for harvest
Once again, early morning
farmers hit the roads
fields offer up their bounty
grain pours into harvesters
into trucks
into trains
into ships
and then
“At Ease” comes to the fields
and to the farmers
Corn stubble, bean stubble
stand like sharpened sticks
with carpeting of leaves comforting the soil
The farmer and his fields settle down
a farm cat snuggles its nose into his arm
in the home, a little one tucks her soft face
into her daddy’s neck
mama smiles, knowing
All is well, all is well….
Lin, at ease, post harvest 2014
shoots poke through the surface
like swimmers bursting from the deep
leaves unfold and stretch to the sun
growing like crazy, happy
A giant switch somewhere
stops the growth, cries ‘It’s finished”
and a crop is ready for harvest
Once again, early morning
farmers hit the roads
fields offer up their bounty
grain pours into harvesters
into trucks
into trains
into ships
and then
“At Ease” comes to the fields
and to the farmers
Corn stubble, bean stubble
stand like sharpened sticks
with carpeting of leaves comforting the soil
The farmer and his fields settle down
a farm cat snuggles its nose into his arm
in the home, a little one tucks her soft face
into her daddy’s neck
mama smiles, knowing
All is well, all is well….
Lin, at ease, post harvest 2014