A Farmer's Plight
A Farmer’s Plight
The field is ready
The work is done
Toiling in the soil
Under the sun.
We wait now for the monsoon rain
To end our hunger and our pain.
Loans, in part will be paid
When we harvest our toils, we laid.
“I the landlord tell you so
That which you must know.
The land is mine not yours to own
Till you pay back all your loan.”
“I need some time to pay you back
Right now, money is what I lack.”
“These papers you need to sign
Give me back what is mine.
We have waited long enough
We’ve been patient, not so tough.
We can’t wait longer now
You need to pay the cash somehow”.
They drag him down, treat him rough
Might and power they wielded tough
Destroying all he had sown
Because of that sordid loan.
They pull the gold off his wife
Earrings, chain adding to his strife.
The farmer had no strong response
They took away his every ounce-
Away with wife and child they went
Leaving the farmer desolate and spent.
There on his field, left alone
The farmer had all cause to mourn.
He knew not what to do or say
In the darkness of his day.
His body pained and bruised so bad
All was taken what he had.
His tortured mind was filled with pain
He couldn’t stand on his feet again.
All hope lost; confused distraught
To think his labour, pain had brought.
What was left for him to do?
He couldn’t think nor reason too.
There was no reason to live no more
When all was lost what he did sow.
Nothing was there left in life
Desolate without child and wife.
Darkness grew e’en though day
Sun was clouded in mid of May.
He decided this was the end
No other way he could comprehend.
Darkness grew in the light of day
His spirit shattered in every way.
Darkest hour of all time
True labour seemed his only crime.
Then his son grew to be a man
Fathered a son no better than
His sire whom lost to fret
For fate bred him in a farmer’s sect.
His son he sent to school to learn
Desire for greatness in his son did burn.
His father too deep in loan
Couldn’t afford cream or eau-de-cologne
Son was not troubled by his fate
Life’s ambition was to immigrate.
Then they came again as in the past
Abusing him for his farmer’s caste.
They said, some part of the farmer’s land
Be mortgaged: the son did understand
That this is it: enough is enough
Forget his dreams of ties and cuffs.
He had a friend, he spoke his plan
Began to work within their span.
He left the shores of his homeland
Sorrowed though, pursued his plan.
Years later his parents too went
Broke their hearts: son now earned
In pounds and pence.
Happily, they lived; no worry or fret
Forgetting the past without regret.
Copyright © Trevor Dsouza | Year Posted 2023
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