Gershon Wolf | + Follow Poet |
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To Plow and Seed

A well-water pump cranks out its iron-water
    crooked wire remains -- once, sturdy chicken coops
  The brackish, muddy area over there, the cowshed
    some withered trees dot the hills, bereft now of their fruit

  A few young lads herd goats, or perhaps they are living skeletons?
    cows with ribs exposed, horses with manes as limp as rags ...
  Some day they'll come again, the strong, determined youth
    to bale the hay, to turn the rocks over, to plow and seed relentlessly ...

Copyright © Gershon Wolf | Year Posted 2023

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Michael Tor Date: 8/5/2023 3:08:00 PM God save our farmers and country. Thank you Gershon for voicing the truth... Login to Reply

J. Summers Date: 8/4/2023 8:40:00 AM I’ve seen farms as you describe them. Farmers and families pushed off the land by corporate greed. Land left unused by people who knew how to use it. And now, Russians are making a weapon of wheat while India just stopped rice shipments in order to bring prices down for their own people. Let that sink in while listening to Rain on the Scarecrow by John Mellencamp. John Login to Reply

Panagiota Romios Date: 8/3/2023 8:03:00 PM Hi Gershon. Let me know in this is a poem antiwar. I read it three times and I don’t see it please respond.. Pangie Login to Reply Gershon Wolf Date: 8/3/2023 8:06:00 PM I didn't think of war at all when I wrote this, but I see that you are not the only one who reads it this way. Is it an anti-war poem? -- No, it sure wasn't intended to be. ~ 2B

Terry Flood Date: 8/3/2023 3:55:00 PM Wow, GW… a dystopian vision? A land where the men have gone to war? The human race destroyed by pandemic?nuclear onslaught? or perhaps Alien invasion? A graphically brilliant write and a fave from me. Login to Reply Gershon Wolf Date: 8/3/2023 7:14:00 PM Wow. A fave from you?!! My heart is over-flooding with love. Lub-glug... lug-blub. Thank you, Terry! :) gw

Paula Goldsmith Date: 8/3/2023 1:30:00 PM A wonderful write. I enjoyed it. A hard life. Have a great day............. Login to Reply Gershon Wolf Date: 8/3/2023 7:21:00 PM We were never promised a 'rose garden.'

Kim Rodrigues Date: 8/3/2023 6:03:00 AM Fraught with imagery! A sad one indeed! Login to Reply

John Lawless Date: 8/3/2023 5:01:00 AM sadly prophetic prognosis on the future of the small farms and families and yet...a powerful metaphor for life...well done Gershon Login to Reply Gershon Wolf Date: 8/3/2023 7:24:00 PM thank you so much, John. Appreciated.

Valsa George Date: 8/2/2023 10:05:00 PM The life of these youngsters are drowned in poverty, still they work hard to earn their livelihood ! One day they will grow out of this sad condition and become healthy youngmen ready to plough and seed. Login to Reply Gershon Wolf Date: 8/3/2023 7:24:00 PM I hope that you are correct, Valsa!