Heart Sold to the Honest Way

Finally, there seem to be but three Ways for a Nation to acquire Wealth. The first is by War as the Romans did in plundering their conquered Neighbours. This is Robbery. The second by Commerce which is generally Cheating. The third by Agriculture, the only honest Way; wherein Man receives a real Increase of the Seed thrown into the ground, in a kind of continual Miracle wrought by the Hand of God in his favour, as a Reward for his innocent Life, and virtuous Industry.

-Benjamin Franklin, Positions to be Examined, April 4, 1769

Heart Sold to the Honest Way
Andrea Ridgard, June 2011

1

The duck's feet were tied
The farmer's face was calm
His words were prayers under a tongue tying truth to understanding
His feet were firm and rooted
Deep, like the depth of the soil growing barley that nourished the meal that would soon be his.

His goats bleated standing by
His chickens crouched in their stable
His ducks waddled, circling their open pasture
And the quiet of all that noise, as the legs, breast and beak below tied feet fell weighty with the passing out before death, quieted pain, too

2

Through the brush, Earthway and six row seed endless brassica and head lettuce, carrots begin to look like themselves and onions toy with the idea of breaking the drying soil with their rooted sweet bulb
The farmer paces out her row
Her feet in an exact heel-toe concentrated line that will service the bare, booted and sandaled for months of weeding and harvesting
She is voiceless to the passersby
But her whisper draws nourishment from the compost her partner spread until dusk,
And absorbs warmth from the open sun to exposed sprouting maroon amaranth
As the breeze seems to move with her rhythmic step, encouraging the motion of the nature she is assisting to cultivate

3

Their smiles gleam like those of children
Ever in wonder at the earth's ability
Ever in wonder at their own
Their scruffy dog curls in their arms and waits patiently as they plow yet another field--This one, now fresh with the youngest of cabbage purchased at birth for fermentation; a team attends to its weeding by hand in the afternoon heat-- The protective canine looks on, rarely barking out their accomplishment, just greets them, as the sun sets, with companionship

4

On Wednesday's eve, you can see them
You can listen to the frank, yet careful word of the farmer selling green duck and puissant
You can sense the quiet connection she has with the earth and her heirlooms, and his strength as he makes way for their success
You can melt at the two with the dog and their green things, one bunch of Spring onions, $2.