
The Fielder
by Matthew Hollis
The day is late, later than the sun.
He tastes the dusk of things and eases down,
and feels the shade set in across the yard.
He never thought there’d be so much undone,
so much in need of planing: the haugh unmown
with its fist of bracken, the splinting of the cattle bar,
the half-attended paddock wall
scribbled with blackthorn and broke-wool.
Perhaps he could have turned the plough for one last till,
be sure, or surer, of where the seeding fell.
But then it’s not the ply that counts, but the depth of furrow,
knowing the take was deep and real, knowing the change was made.
And field by field the brown hills harvest yellow.
And few of us will touch the landscape in that way.
I spent the past few days in the company of plant physiology graduate students and their advisor at the University of Illinois in Champaign. It did my heart good to see the genuine eagerness with which the students approach the rather difficult task of their field research, trying to tease apart the management variables that can unlock the potential for higher sustainable yields in corn and soybeans. The number one factor that influences yield on every crop every year is the one which farmers and graduate students have no control; the weather.
I like this poem, because Hollis captures several truths about agriculture; there is never a time when everything is finished and few understand how a good farmer can “touch the landscape in that way. “
To hear Matthew Hollis read this poem, check out the link below to The Poetry Archive. And while you’re there, listen to another fine poem by Hollis titled: And Let Us Say.
https://www.poetryarchive.org/explore/browsepoems?f%5B0%5D=sm_field_poet%3Anode%3A192535
Just an FYI: the picture on this post seems to be Edward Thomas, not your featured poet today. Oh well, good to read the Hollis poem and any US attention to poet Edward Thomas is overdue anyway.
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Thanks for the heads up. I’ll investigate and change out if I have bungled it up.
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Would you like to guest host a post on my blog and feature a favorite of yours by Edward Thomas?
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Sure. What would you like me to supply?
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How about one or two of your famous Edward Thomas poems (a sonnet would be great if there is one you like) and any short commentary you want to add. Send to me via the email fourteenlines10@gmail.com and I’ll post it and give you credit and link to your blog.
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