Poetry Forum

Harvest Time

If there were a piece of human crop left to reap
deep within me, it is not for the Farmer to find
now that his scythe stripped me with its final sweep.

What was awake long ago was put to sleep
but I might still have some rusted axes to grind
if there were a piece of human crop left to reap.

I know, I bargained away my life for so cheap
and paltry a price—at the time I didn’t seem to mind…
now that his scythe stripped me with its final sweep,

it stings that much more. If only I could weep
for the lack of rain and I could rejoin mankind
if there were a piece of human crop left to reap.

For land, no rain comes; nor Shepherd for his sheep
and the coming wind will sweep away, leave me behind
now that his scythe stripped me with its final sweep.

My prize was golden, but now I have lost my keep
to my own avarice and to the dust I am to confined—
even if there were a piece of human crop left to reap
now that his scythe stripped me with its final sweep.

this makes me shiver. i like your repeating that phrase about "human crop", it's very haunting and brutal at the same time. hope you will post some more.

Hey !

At last another villanelle posted - so good to see you tackled this complex form - theme reminded me of works by baudelaire / poe and the novelist Stephem King ( who i find too horrific to read)

interesting interplay with imagery of grim reaper/farmer harvest cycle and the assessment of a life of dissipation that has led to naught/ dryness lack of crop and eternal sleep/death.

very sinsister and dark tones indeed for your first post

hope you post something less dark .. but then again this my preference

good first post - well done

Arco

Deliciously dark in my opinion. It's certainly one of those poems that you enjoy reading over and over and get something new out of it each time.

Thanks, Gee. I'll take delicious any day, no matter how dark...