Friday, September 23, 2011

The Field at Dusk


Beyond the gold-fringed day
And shadows obtuse tusk
‘Neath misty scarves of silver-gray
Lies the field at dusk

A thread of centuries
Is layered in its palm
Time’s ruthless progress cannot steal
Its effervescent calm

I pause to contemplate
The measure of our toil
Swift season over season laid
With faith that plants the soil

And here the lark returns
To tune the summer dust
And here the brawny farmer learns
Of hope and tears and trust

And here the young maid strolls
Her eye a-light with dreams
And here the silent night consoles
The heart where sorrow gleams

And here the bully day
Releases its duress
And here we humbly kneel to pray
In tender thankfulness

Beyond the gold-fringed day
Midst sighs of dew and musk
Heaven is not so far away
In a field at dusk

Janet Martin

4 comments:

  1. Your farmer's heart is displayed. Vivid similes early on blend into the repeating words: "And here the." You play that so effectively as we see that field at dusk through so many different eyes.

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  2. I debated on the 'and here the'...but nothing else seemed to fit what I was feeling. Thank-you so much, as always.

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  3. My husband has such a love & appreciation for the land... when we were dating he took me out in his tractor while working up the ground in Spring. He said, "Don't you just love the smell of the soil?" I've seen him walk through fields of corn, gently touching the leaves. There is something special about farming ~ and farmers. I do believe in his eyes, 'Heaven is not so far away in a field at dusk...'

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  4. Megan, Your husband is a true farmer! I grew up on a dairy farm, we still live in farming country, so I relate to 'country-thinking'.
    And you said it! There is something special about farming and farmers!

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I hope you enjoyed your pause on this porch and thank-you for your visit!