Farmer's morning
By Britney Hallock
Mount Mansfield Union High School, Grade 11
Early riser,
catches the chicken
alarm sounds
rooster crows
stepping into
boots
that go to my
knees
open the front door
only to find
another night has gone bye
frost on the cucumbers
the pumpkins, too
slide the door
open the barn
a rush of
hay
pig
horse
hits my face
like a hot
summer wind
step by step
to each stall
drag the hose
to fill empty
buckets
chickens cluck
horses neigh
pigs snort
throw the grain to
what soon will be
dinner
the man of the coop
stands tall
chest out
feet scratching the ground
showing me to
get away
or
else
step by step
up to the
hay
I lug bails
down
one by one
to the horses
who smell the scent of hay
from a ways away
one trots with her
tail in the air
head held high
showing she's the boss
now must
milk the cow
milk leaks from her
teat
one at a time
squeeze to empty
place bucket aside
to have cereal later
click of the key
tractor roars
shovel manure
from the day
before
into the
tractor's spreader
bring to the fields
I'm going to put the
biggest pumpkin
into the fair
manure helps me
grow it
chores done
close door
knowing I'll
be back
soon