for better or worse
I love my homestead
rows of burnt-gold milo maize
the grain sorghum grown for feed
hot sand between long rows
reflects the fierce sun above
and burns bare feet
week after week
wonderfully challenging prairie life
of milo maize fields and hay meadows
plow, plant, plod and slog
reap the sorghum, bale the hay
work hard, week after week
ah, but the clear country sky emboldens
the fresh country air enlivens
the prairie winds invigorate
what freedom to ride your horse
across the endlessly flat land
no subway trains to catch
no tall buildings to block afternoon breezes
no screech-clang-honk-bang of traffic
no long waits in long lines
at the close of the work day
I love my homestead
for better or worse
open and free