The Farmer

Farmer

Sitting in the shade
beneath a canopy
of maple leaves
watching heat
rising
wrinkling
the farmer's barn
making the solid real
appear ethereal
but before it flys away
a gust of coolbreeze
flattens out the barnboards.

Dust rising from the hooves
of the old shuffling horse
as he moves to the cooler grass
before flopping down
to watch his mechanical replacement
rent the earth
row upon row.

Farmer
mopping forehead
with blue and white bandana
looking to the sky
enjoying the blue
but praying for gray