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Ritual At Midday
| Open Poetry #47 |
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Ritual At Midday |
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ice Member Elite
since 2003-05-17
Posts 3404Pennsylvania |
 Women approach With things gathered; Cold tea, and parts Of roasted animals- Grain in dark loaves Nurtured by caring; An ancient round Field to household, Then back to the field. They set camp in shallow sun, In grass that's been cut down- To mend wounds, and sate hunger Of those that worked the many rows Since days first dawning. Touchless, yet all are holding hands- They dance, an unbroken circle Knowing when to grip their partmer, Knowing when to let their corner go Always returning to the other. Silence.. prayers.. thanks given. Before the feast prepared By skill--a celebration, On a common day; All in life are are not coupled, But all are married to the land. Nourishment of bodies, souls Giving and taking In a natural-rhythm cycle. Exploit here, is balanced By nurture; A Chain that's pulled By sustainer, and sustained. * After hunger, The ritual of blisters; A hand draws back --again extends The need to mend Gives shelter from pain, And any salve applied To a hard body-or mind By soft hands, And whispers-strengthens The bond: Soft knows that hard must go on. The bonnets go, another turning The women leaving for their home's The men returning, to their rows. Song returns to field and hearth. Bodies mended, for the moment Hunger forgotten,pain withstood- Satisfied by give and take; All move-now downhill, Towards dark, and works relief. |
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| © Copyright 2011 ford hume - All Rights Reserved | |||
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JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Damn, Ice! This is almost enough to put a tear in this old codger's eyes. There is such meaning within the verses of this great poem. a working together to harvest what is harvest-able, and a need, a great need, to work together, each doing their part for the good of all. I dearly loved this. ~ Those are my principles, and if you don't like them ... well, I have others. ~ |
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ice Member Elite
since 2003-05-17
Posts 3404Pennsylvania |
Jerry, I to look through an "old codger's eyes" Your reply also brought a little tear to them, it is nice to know I am not alone in the world with these kinds of emotions.. ahhh, and notice the men sheltering the children in the shade...ahhh so, another example of hard, tending to soft...or is it the other way around? Thanks brother.. |
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Dark Stranger Member Patricius
since 2001-03-19
Posts 13631West Coast |
ice...saturday evening post views...back when we made a difference by being different..enjoyed it! |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Ford, I LLLLLLLLLLLove this (both poem and photo)! And if I were there and still a child (and, blush, blush, even now at 65½), I would beg to be allowed to slide down the haystack first and then slide off the hay on the wain - and I would be delighted to put back any hay that I displaced, in so doing. And could I take a tiny bit of hay to give as a love-token to my beloved horse, Flicka (now in Heaven)? Owl |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Yes, sir, Sir, I have a lot to learn from you. Re: your response to my grainsong, the harvesting had just begun in earnest mid-week [Wed] and today, a huge thunderstorm rolled through, compleate with hail. Yet, when all will be finally said and done? The farmers will still tithe at the end of the pew. Thanks for keeping history alive, Ford. |
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Alison 
since 2008-01-27
Posts 9318Lumpy oatmeal makes me crazy! |
You tell the story well. I love the melding of poetry and photograph as I read of times long gone. Thank you. Alison |
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Margherita Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236Eternity |
quote: Very beautiful and touching, dear Ford. The hardship of the day's work was shared among all and there was the awareness and the satisfaction at the end of the day of having completed the task together. You caught the atmosphere so well that I almost can smell the hay's fragrance ... and feel the bond with the land and those farmers. Such a vivid picture you found! No tree to have a little shadow and relief from heat! Absolutely beautiful work. Love, Margherita |
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Spiros Zafiris Senior Member
since 2002-10-20
Posts 982Canada |
..thanks..'twas a joy to read; suddenly examined my hands for blisters, from having been in the fields all day--(my imagining).. |
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Marchmadness Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271So. El Monte, California |
Though I have never lived on an actual farm, I come from a long line of farmers on both sides. Your poem makes me realize how strong those genes are, ice. Ida |
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ice Member Elite
since 2003-05-17
Posts 3404Pennsylvania |
Thank you all, my dear friends , for reading , and your replies. This is about what made America a great, and moral place..and I am speaking about real morality, and true fidelity. "all are married to the land", to me is the most important line in the poem. Without that marriage, all the others would fail, in this type of social organization; so by fidelity, the dual marriages lasted... The noon meal, ahh yes...more than a quick burger for a dollar six at McDonalds. A daily reunion of sorts, and a time for kids to explain their behavior to dads and uncles and granpas...our nature demands an extended family..and there they were..to speak of wrongs and rights in the shade of hay heading for the mow. Again, thank you all, I read each and every reply several times..as they are like the soft ones balming the blisters, that the modern world has rubbed on my brain. Namaste, and peace to all. Come read to me some poem, Some simple and heartfelt lay, That shall soothe this restless feeling And banish the thoughts of day. Longfellow [This message has been edited by ice (06-17-2011 07:15 AM).] |
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latearrival Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499Florida |
Brings back memories of a relative's farm in Delaware where I had visited some summers ago.Yes another old one checking in to give thanks for this refreshing enter. Thank you sincerely, latearrival |
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Paul Wilson
since 2002-07-07
Posts 4711United States |
Ford...Great story about the hardships and sacrifices americans as a whole endured thru and still go thru to make our nation as great as it is.Enjoyed...Paul ~~To share my poems with you is to share my heart with you~~ |
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