The Windmill

Photo credit: www.erniemargheim.blogspot.com 

The breeze whispers a melody
Passing through the tall grass
Accompanied by an eerie creak
The only voice I have left.

So here I stand, lonely but loyal
The empty sea of prairie
swaying in the breeze
As my rusty blades creak along.

I am still here.
Still performing my duty
Bringing lifeblood to the surface:
Cool clear water.

The cracked wooden trough overflows
As it has these long years
It is rotting out as time goes by
But it is the only friend I have left.

The cattle have long since gone
Sold years ago, and not by choice
It was so dry that year
And the family just couldn't get by

I was still new and sturdy
And the wind brought me to life
Swishing through me
My strong blades spinning fast

And hard as I worked there was no water to bring forth
The essential lifeblood needed for a family to survive
It was no ones fault
Just bad luck I guess.

They had to leave everything behind
All the hours of hard work and love
They put into this land, their home
Including me.

I remember the strong young man who built me
And his lovely wife who helped and encouraged him
They were so happy and proud, and with dreams in their eyes
When they gazed upon me, their finished work.

The man spent long hours crafting me,
Every plank and nail perfectly in place
He built me to last.
And I have lasted.

Then I remember the little boy
Who would sit at the trough and play
He would talk to me sometimes.
Those days were my most favorite.

I've outlasted that hopeful little family
Through the first few years that were good,
Then the last hard years of drought
And all the worry and the tears.

I remember the day they sold their cattle,
And all of their dreams with them.
Then had to move back east
And left me all alone...

Now decades have past
And I am still here.
Lord of the vast sea of prairie
Where I stand alone

Still turning
Bringing up the water
Overflowing the trough
But It makes no difference now.

Trying to make up for the dry years
When I could not bring the water,
But nothing can bring them back.
That hopeful little family that I so loved.

So here I stand, all broken down
Alone, steadfast, relentless I turn.
And turn. And keep turning.
Forever loyal, forever remembering.

My American Dream

It’s the American Dream

Or so we’ve been told

Or more like programmed

“What do you want to be

when you grow up?”

We’re expected to know

Before we even hit high school

Go to college.

Land a career.

Get married.

Raise a family.

Save for retirement.

It’s like a lifelong to-do list

…That ends in death?

We’re always taught to plan ahead

To look to the next step

Where will you be in 5 years? 10 years?

A hard question you’re always expected to know

“You’d better know your major coming in,

So you can graduate on time”

“Don’t you have an internship for the summer?”

“What are you doing after graduation?”

“What do you mean you don’t have a job lined up?”

“Aren’t you going to grad school? Your doctorate?”

Why does life have to be a race?

It seems like we’re always running…

Racing through college,

Climbing the ladder, working 9-5,

…For what? Money? Fame? Fortune?

None of that matters in the end

You can’t take it with you when you go

Why do we have to race through life?

We get so caught up in running

That we forget to live…

Life is not a race.

It is a journey.

We don’t need to run.

Photo credit: Helen Lacey

I’ve been in college 5 years now

And still don’t know what I want

to be “when I grow up”

As far as a career goes, that is.

I’m going back to my dream job this summer

Seasonal work, not a “real, big-kid job”

Back to the land and people that I love

And I have no idea where I’ll be come fall

And I’m totally okay with that

I won’t be trapped by society’s rules

That some rich folks made up

All for the sake of money

Because money can’t buy my happiness

I have my plans in place

But there are no deadlines

What is meant to be, will be

No sense in worrying myself about it

Because I trust God will take care of me

I will live each day

And follow my dreams

Take care of this land

And my friends and family

For this is my American Dream

I will not be run by society’s race

Photo credit: Helen Lacey