he dreams
of cornfields and hay strewn farm
of table laden of fresh milk and bread
of simple life beneath the lavender sky
he sees
the city choked in dust and twisted steel
the street filled with foreign made goods
the night complicated by debts and politics
he paints
heartland drawn from honest work
soil that his ancestors toiled and spilled blood
countryside so his children may find their future,
rooted in this land
Posted for The Mag: Thomas Hart BentonMore about the painter here.
I am proud to have this poem published in Nain Rogue, September 2012 (page 21). Thanks to D'verse Poets Community for the support.
A very difficult thing to have even though it is but a simple thing to wish for. I feel a bit of sadness reading this. The things written about in your middle stanza threatens to overwhelm being able to just be simple. Good poem.
ReplyDeleteYou reminder me of the simple life, a life well lived!
ReplyDeletei know which one i would want!!...lovely imagery here..x
ReplyDeleteBeautiful... farmers hearts always lay within their land!
ReplyDeleteI've had both, which is best?
ReplyDeleteNice Grace you know I live in the countryside. And im ok you cant have all lol
ReplyDeleteBut my kids have 18 and now dont want live here sigh! They think is bettet in the city! Is sad:(
Lots of nice textures and themes woven together here...
ReplyDeleteyes the simple life, as my gram said: mind your business, find work to
ReplyDeletedo with your hands and seek a spiritual connection.
hey i wasn't finished yet... in your poem you
ReplyDeleteillustrate how satisfying the simple life can be. thank you.
i love the last stanza and esp the last line... very nice!
ReplyDeleteJJRod'z
beautiful words for a farmer.
ReplyDeleteReally good work, Grace. One of your best, I think.
ReplyDeleteGetting more and more difficult to live a simple life these days too. This is lovely Grace.
ReplyDeleteI love last stanza especially where he is painting countryside so his children may find their future. Lovely poem.
ReplyDeleteAll places one wishes to be at times, nicely captured.
ReplyDeleteGreat! He dreams...He sees... Very diferent life! But the dreams should become true! He should never forget this...
ReplyDeletebeautiful dream
ReplyDeletesmiles...i would like to think we all hope for a better future for our children...i have my feet in a little of each....
ReplyDeleteHey you a farmers daughter Grace ? , sounds like you have first hand experience ! Thanks
ReplyDeleteThe family of my mom owned lands and fishponds. When we were young, we would visit during summer. But we moved to the city and grew up away from land. Maybe when I am retired, I will go back and live there. Thanks for the visit ~
Deletei swear i commented on this, this morning...i live with my feet in both these worlds...and i think we all have dreams for our children to go on to places we never went...as long as they are where they want, i am happy...
ReplyDeleteHe sees, dreams, paints .... this is lovely.
ReplyDeleteSimplistically beautiful :-)
ReplyDelete....and all his dreams and visions offer us lovely reminders of what life is all about!
ReplyDelete"...he paints
ReplyDeleteheartland drawn from honest work
soil that his ancestors toiled and spilled blood
countryside so his children may find their future,
rooted in this land"
A pleasant reminder to remember our roots, no matter where we live. Beautiful.
Lovely.
ReplyDeleteMakes me want to check out more of this artist's work.
=)
Strong images in each of these threads dreaming, seeing, painting. And the lavender sky? - perfect.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and so appropraiate to the image. Great work... HE...
ReplyDeleteI often wondered if painters paint their dreams, and which is the seed.
ReplyDeleteLove the simplicity and quiet of this
~rick
A dreamer, a painter and a person with a vision for his children. Like Tess said, the textures and themes are divine. Thank you for sharing this inspiring poem, Grace. =D
ReplyDeleteNow I live in the tropics but I too have had both in England. I always liked to be in the things so once I moved to London I was in my element. We lived 20 minutes from the West End of London so had everything from culture, theatre, galleries, restaurants, shopping to the other side, 20 minutes from the lush countryside after suburbia. I had the best of both worlds but the reality is I was a 'townie' and when my husband wanted to move out into the country (a mere 15 miles from the West End) I had a fit of the vapours! Yes I had green wellies and a Barbour but they can be worn in London on school runs,
ReplyDelete