The Farmer (2) Poem by Gert Strydom

(after A. D. Keet)

Life came in grains of wheat
and where in the winter
there were only strips of sand
a harvest of wheat
did now stand in tidy rows,
waiting to be brought in at the right time
with the sweet smell hanging in the air

and I saw the farmer
walking through the veldt
just before the harvest time
and high in the sky
a thunderstorm was brewing

with grey and black clouds
and also big white ones,
that did cover the sun from his gaze
and a mighty bolt of lightning
did fall from high above
with flames raising
in row upon row
and suddenly the wheat field was aflame.

Startled the farmer did look up into the sky
when the first hail did fall
as big as chicken eggs
and it was tearing the wheat field apart
with dust rising on the dust track.

Anger did explode in the depths of his soul
and shaking his head he did roar:
"why my God? "
It did feel as if all the elements
was aimed against him.

He lifted his fist into the air
as if with it
he could grab all lightning bolts out of the sky
and a raw cry
came from his throat

l'Envoi
and suddenly the hail did change to rain,
with rain pouring down on the flames
and extinguishing them
and after a short while
the clouds and rain
had been blown away
and only a farmer was left
speaking with his God.

[Reference: "Die lied van die koringboer" (The song of the wheat farmer) by A.D. Keet.]