Hard decision.

[near horse]

I happened across a relatively recent post from a member here in which he has made the difficult decision to “lay down the lines” for a while and take a break from using animal power. It prompted me to visit his website and there I came across this poem he’d written that tugged at my heart and made it clear that his decision was not made without some real soul-searching and anguish. As practitioners of this craft, we do need to make it clear to those “testing the water” that there are some sacrifices associated with what we do as well. Not to scare anyone away but to make the picture as clear as possible – good and bad.

With his permission, I am posting (or reposting) his poem here. Thanks Rod.

Ox Team

I had an ox, his name was Rock
His partner’s name was Roll
Mostly together
Like one soul
Rock was nigh
And Roll was not
Rock and I were friends
And Roll alone a lot
The day arrived, sorry to say
That Rock and Roll were turned away
Sad as it seemed to me
Made me wonder if it needed be
But I had little time except to dream
About this potent working team
And thus they lolled the days away
And me? I provided the hay
But my days were not without other demands
And I was busy as I worked on the land
With a farm to care for and do it right
Within the limit of physical might
So for their sake
As much as mine
A home was found
That worked out fine
My pattern was to turn them out
At night each day the same old route
And for the grass they both would run
In search of food and always fun
Well on the day before the last
I did the same as in the past
But Rock stayed back
For spots to scratch, there was no lack
And say a word about goodbye
I did the same and turned with a sigh
He followed me up to the gate
That’s when I turned and I saw his eye
Sad and hurt it said to me
A friend so close as he can be
Faithful and true as a beast was he
I felt a hole in my heart and me.
Oh life that twists and turns so
What seems so good sometimes must go
And leave one with a saddened heart
And memories to fill the void, in part
Rod Hewitt

[Author]

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