The Lumberjack's Hard Days of Toil

The Lumberjack's Hard Days Of Toil Salty sweat, from deep axe strokes to lean hands heavy cotton shirt soaked, mark of the man. Lumberjack, strong, cut of a different breed hard at toil, to fulfill his family's need. With each hard day's task, his heart grew stronger morn to night, his time away seemed longer. Wife and children, rarely got to see dear dad yet all knew his sweet love and were truly glad. As his axe bit into hardest of trees mother sat at home shelling garden peas. Each one doing family duties and chores living sweet melodies of musical scores. Work done, rushed he, to family to rejoice duty performed with honor and by free choice. R.J. Lindley Sept. 16th , 1996 Syllables Per Line: 10 10 11 11 0 10 10 11 11 0 10 10 11 11 0 11 11 Total # Syllables: 148 Total # Words: 112 Note: My father started out as a lumberjack, back in the day when so much was done by strong hands and not ease of machines! To be a lumberjack back then meant that you were a strong man and willing to work hard. Both are strong and positive attributes. My Dad, later after several years decided to use his brains more and his arms less.. I remember he saying often, "Son use whichever you think best, strength or brains but regardless the free choice made -do so honestly, fairly and with honor! This poem, is dedicated to that man, the guy that saw honor in hard labor and in using intelligence to garner a brighter and better future. I have cut trees, carried and sawed logs, and split wood as a boy on the farm. TRUST ME, IT IS HARD BACK BREAKING WORK.. but it also yields positive dividends and builds good character in a man.