Sowing Seeds
Poem – Sarah Agnew
Mark 4:1-20
out under the Southern sun
a farmer sows
taking the tractor down the field
and up the field
scattering seed behind it
pigeons know what’s up
and down they flit to nick
seeds from the grooves
before the ground can swallow;
the farmer sees them and shrugs,
‘leave enough for us, won’t ya?’
farmer and tractor go right to the border
and a little beyond,
losing seeds in the shallow edges
pushing seeds right into the corners
of the good soil –
such a shame to waste it
kids dawdling beside the tracks
twitch at the scratching hint
and turn to face the force
of goods making their way from coast
to desert centre;
they shudder with the earth
in its mighty wake
‘did you see that grain shrink and shrivel
just a bit?’
as the rains come
the farmer steps out from under
shelter, face lifted up into it
and shivers at the fragility
of the line between life
and another year of empty fields
