January River of Small Stones - Jan 27, 2012

Hardscrabble Fields

Someone has left a rake leaning upon the porch corner against the dirty chipped paint.

The ground appears scraped bare of all living things;

Shabbiness surrounds the house.

Is it empty?

Or are there children huddled inside trying to stay warm?

The end of January approaches and the men and boys are working hard;

But work is hard to find, and the fields of 1947 were just as hardscrabble as they are in 2012.

 January 27, 2012