ON THE LAND

[Cropduster]

ON THE LAND

Come taste the salt in the sweat on my brow.
Come feel the strain in my back
I've been working this land for a century now
for the love of the land. Not a zac
have I earned in return for my toil
The harvest is meagre and lean
The earth offers up when the seasons are fair,
but the seasons are oft' cruel and mean.

Life on the land is remote and alone
The drought and the heat and the fly
We pray to a God for a soaking of rain
as we gaze at a cloud barren sky
There are days when we feel we should just give it up
There are days when we feel we could cry
While the price of the milk and the wool and the grain
Makes us wonder why we even try.

Yet we know that it's we who put bread on your table
The milk in your cereal bowl
The wool in you jumper, and fine tailored suit
and all of your bacon egg roll
So those in the city on your coffee break
sipping your latte and chai
Just spare a thought for your mate on the land
He's out there, alone in the dry.

Copyright (c) Allan Cropper June 2015

[Maureen K Clifford]

Well said Allan - captured in a nutshell - similar thoughts to one I wrote when on the land called The Farmer

So take you hats off to the Farmer, they’re the ones who grow the produce.
The one who’s lamb and beef graces your table.
Please support him while you can, give the thumbs up to the man.
Buy Australian produce now, whilst you’re still able.

Folks need to get over the idea that our food comes from Woolies & Coles

[alongtimegone]

Very good Allan.
Wazza

[Catherine Lee]

Great poem Allan, and like Maureen it reminds me of one of mine I wrote about farmers some time ago. We should never forget what they go through to produce!