Straight

the prologue poem for Life Lessons for a Farm Boy

 

It’s hard when you’re twelve

With dust in your eyes

Running rabbits

The droning tractor

The hawk in the sky.

Its hard not to think

By taking control

And forcing the wheel

To drive his row

That I’d make one just as straight

Its hard to trust

And not look back

To watch the soil turn

Or who’s on the way back

But with time and shame

O’er rows crooked and bowed

You learn the wisdom
Of what he told:

“Son, pick a point

Way out on the horizon

Line that gas cap on it

And never take your eyes off it

You’ll drive right straight to it. . . Every time.”

Reviews

[Lau Thiam Kok]

This piece of work has helped me to imagine the farm life. It is like a father talking to the son or the teacher talking to the student. And in the end, it is talking and teaching a life. The tone of the speaker is very caring. I liked it. Thank you.