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.