Sharecropper
The old share cropper
worked so very hard
With family to feed
he must be frugal
Cost of seed was shared
Harvest of grain matched
each two kernels grown
his landlord got one
Bales of hay that way
all the harvest halved
Even the garden
veggies some for each
Where they differed, how
the proceeds were used
Landlord sold for cash
Farmer fed to stock
Livestock to sell save
some for family food
Roosters Sunday meal
Hens' eggs eat and sell
Save money not used
To buy his own farm
_ _ _
The old share cropper
worked so very hard
With family to feed
he must be frugal
Cost of seed was shared
Harvest of grain matched
each two kernels grown
his landlord got one
Bales of hay that way
all the harvest halved
Even the garden
veggies some for each
Where they differed, how
the proceeds were used
Landlord sold for cash
Farmer fed to stock
Livestock to sell save
some for family food
Roosters Sunday meal
Hens' eggs eat and sell
Save money not used
To buy his own farm
_ _ _
- I'm linked with Marian in the Imaginary Garden at http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2019/08/just-one-word-halved.html?m=1
An inspiring tale.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully done, Jim 😊
ReplyDeleteI hope it turns out for the farmer and his family. I'm thinking it's going to get more difficult.
ReplyDeleteAnd how long that used to take for the share farmers who did all the work but had to share the profits and hoping to save some of his profits to buy his own farm.
ReplyDelete...a true tale - and a dream many did not ever see come to fruition. I support our local farmers as much as I can. Right now the cantaloupe, tomatoes, and corn are heavenly.
ReplyDeleteHalved is optimistic. Sadly, I think many subsistence level farmers gave up more than that.
ReplyDeleteYou portray the tragic bind of the sharecropper well.
ReplyDeleteInspiring. This is what young people need to read!
ReplyDelete