Farm Life Poetry
Mrs. Joyce (John) Billingsby
THE WEST TENNESSEE FARM
Marvin Downing, Editor
Published by The University of Tennessee at Martin, 1979
Mrs. Billingsby of Dresden, Tennessee, has been writing poetry for about ten
years. She and her family moved to their Dresden area farm in 1969 and most of
her farm related poetry comes from these experiences of her adult years.
Although her husband possessed a farm background, she and her children did not
when they left Detroit, Michigan, and relocated in West Tennessee. The
Progressive Farmer has accepted three of her poems and her poetry
appeared in the UT Martin Windmills of 1975.
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LITTLE TOUGHIE
He fights the older boys at school,
And shows no sign of fear;
He charges like a tiger,
And he's quicker than a deer.
Late one night, he called my name,
I went and tucked him in,
And stood there listening by his bed--
My Toughie's afraid of the wind!
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LITTLE MAN
He drives the tractor, does his chores,
Makes good grades at school;
Changes flats, checks the oil,
Cleans his father's tools.
I slipped into his room one night
And watched him sleeping there;
Armed with knife and b-b gun--
And his teddy bear.
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Picture A
Another little man stood proudly with registered Aberdeen Angus triplets. The
calves were born on the Jack Fields' farm in Lake County, 1951. The calves were
of natural birth and survived to maturity. Triplet birth in cattle only occurs
once in 600,000 births with very low survival rate. (Photo and information
courtesy of owner John F. Fields and Lake County Extension Leader John
Bradley.)
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OH, MIGHTY WOMAN
Thoughts and reflections
Inside a grain bin
Lying in the corn
Resting and thinking.
Gazing outside
Watching the clouds drifting
Hearing the wind blow
A chilly reminder
That winter is near
And the crops still unharvested
Wondering how
We all will live through it.
Smiling and thinking
What if a neighbor
Found me lying here
Laughing and dreaming;
Standing abashed
Feeling a little foolish
Seeing my image
Impressed in the corn
Contemplating
There she is
Oh, mighty woman
Flesh and bones
Body and Spirit
Giver of Life
Sustainer of many
And so unappreciated
But
With warmth and love
Holds the universe together--
For what is life
Without a woman!
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A COUNTRY WIFE'S LAMENT
Cockleburs--beggars lice,
Fleas and ticks and gnats;
Bumble bees--spider webs,
Snakes and mice and rats.
Mud--slush--ice--snow--
Wind and dirt and rain,
Muddy boots--greasy shirts,
Spotted window panes.
Thunderstorms and loneliness--
I take them all in stride,
But slip away somewhere to weep
When someone hurts my pride.
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ODE TO HARVEST
Who knows each field and little stream
And calls each path by name?
Who loves the woods in snow and ice
And hugs them in the rain?
Whose heart leaps up when trees are touched
By shades of autumn hue?
Who loves this land with all her soul--
Ido! Ido! Ido!
Whose aching feet are slow to go
Down twisted rows of corn,
And as she grabs it from the stalk
Regrets that she was born?
Who'd swap her jeans for satin gowns
And laces, if she could?
Who'd sell her kingdom for a drink--
I would! I would! I would!
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ARTILLERY OF AUTUMN
The golden corn is standing tall
Like soldiers on parade;
In tasseled plumes and ruffled shirts
With military braid.
What is that smoke against the sky?
What is that dreadful sound?
What fearless foe is drawing nigh
With flak to gun you down?
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DEATH OF SUMMER
The sullen winds of August
Breathe hotly on my shoulders
While the corn is turning yellow in the sun;
Sleepy flowers are nodding
As Summer stops to listen,
And waits for Autumn days soon to come.
Dirt roads are hot and dusty,
Fat clouds are low and lazy,
The sky has turned a baby violet blue;
Green grass is slowly dying,
Blue birds are sadly crying,
For waning summer days are almost through.
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A NEW DAY
As if apologizing
For intruding this rude way,
The sun sends groping fingers
Across the edge of day.
Scarlet bows and lavender ribbons,
Ruby sherry wine;
Lilac wreaths and coral teardrops
Fan the opal sky.
A rooster crows, a red dog barks,
And Kitten rubs his eyes;
The sparkling dew reflects the hue
Of rose petals in the sky.
Black bird shakes his feathers
Cows begin to graze;
The dark trees stretch and yawn and sigh
As night begins to fade.
At last, in all its glory,
We greet the rising sun;
With all its dreams and hopes and schemes--
Anew day has begun!
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STORMS
Sitting high up in the hayloft,
Waiting for the rain
With a gentle apprehension
And a joy that's close to pain.
The cows are bawling for their hay
But clouds are hanging low;
As lightning jumps across the sky
The winds begin to blow.
The rain comes sweeping through the fields,
The jarring thunder rolls;
And birds seek refuge in the trees
Whose boughs are bending low.
As the storm roars on its way,
Dark clouds straggle behind;
But on a field of winter wheat--
The sun begins to shine.
When storms of life around me roar
And hope cannot be seen;
My heart recalls the sunshine on
That little patch of green!
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