He swings. The hoedad opens up the ground.
He sets the seedling, steps, and moves around.
For every bend a nickel he will earn.
He counts by thousands and without concern.
His caffeinated soda’s cheap and sweet
With peanut butter sandwiches to eat.
At night he camps with others like him who
Will spend four months together on this crew.
He works alone but some come there with spouses
While others waste their time and break up houses.
He’d not expect to find some girl who’d stay
And some feel life’s less lonely lived that way.
Written for dVerse Tuesday Poetics: Artisan hosted by Kim featuring poems by Seamus Heaney.
Poetry, Short Prose and Walking 