The saying used to be
and was a valid thought
‘Corn knee high
by the 4th of July!”
Well, a new target has appeared:
“Chest high
by 4th of July!”
And ‘we’ do it!
and was a valid thought
‘Corn knee high
by the 4th of July!”
Well, a new target has appeared:
“Chest high
by 4th of July!”
And ‘we’ do it!
Better understanding
of the soil
(never say ‘dirt’)
and adding plant food
and genetics
and planting machinery
We carefully tune ourselves in
zero in
bringing the symphony to order
Picture the maestro
stepping up on his little platform
batoon raised
gaze intense
every instrument tuned and ready
His arms go up
and the music begins
to the farmer’s senses
a ‘hallelujah chorus’
an epiphany
of praise to the Creator
So the corn is chest high
and the farmer’s chest is swelled
he walks between the rows
looking carefully for problems
bugs and diseases and anything else
that might hold back the plants
To and fro through the fields
his footprints in the soil
Time and again he stops
kneels and studies
from roots to tops
undersides of leaves
feeling the stalks
looking for boreholes
Silent, unmoving,
he waits for insects to adjust
and ignore his presence
It’s a day in the life of a farmer….
and the farmer’s chest is swelled
he walks between the rows
looking carefully for problems
bugs and diseases and anything else
that might hold back the plants
To and fro through the fields
his footprints in the soil
Time and again he stops
kneels and studies
from roots to tops
undersides of leaves
feeling the stalks
looking for boreholes
Silent, unmoving,
he waits for insects to adjust
and ignore his presence
It’s a day in the life of a farmer….
Viva la maize!
June 2011, Lin