A Farmer by Trade, Poem By : Kevin Pace
A Farmer by Trade
Ballytobin, County Kilkenny
Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
A Farmer by Trade
Poem By : Kevin Pace
He worked on the land, a farmer by trade.
He never will know the impact he made.
When plowing the fields, his mind would be filled
with lessons in life he taught and instilled.
“Life’s pretty simple” my grandpa would claim,
“The rules we should live by are always the same.”
He delivered his thoughts in a wry kind of style.
You’d think he was mad, but then he would smile.
.
He was always profound, a man of his word.
He would always look forward despite what occurred.
“I’ve never reaped anything I didn’t first sow.
The seeds that you plant is the crop that will grow.
Fix your eyes on a spot, if you want to plow straight.
If you need to start over, it’s never too late.”
One thing I remember, he often would share,
“Don’t tear down a fence, ‘til you know why it’s there.
Some fences are built to keep danger away,
some fences are built so we’ll know where to stay.”
His philosophy in life was to, “Let people be.
I’m not here to judge, lest they should judge me.”
“Some things are better off left on the ground,
manure doesn’t stink ‘til you stir it around.”
The best thing he taught me was how I could find
the answer to anything crossing my mind.
Whatever I’d ask him, he’d get out the Book,
saying, “God wrote it down, if you take time to look.”
He understood things that few understand.
A farmer by trade, he worked on the land.
Nigel Borrington 
Great post…!
June 3, 2014 at 2:23 pm
Long life and success to the farmer!
June 3, 2014 at 6:35 pm
Love the photos and the poem.
June 3, 2014 at 8:22 pm
You know I love a good tractor. Enjoyed that poem, too!
June 3, 2014 at 11:40 pm
I love the farming stories.
June 4, 2014 at 12:17 am
Love the photos – up to the usual standard !
June 4, 2014 at 12:36 am
This is a fantastic poem, Nigel 🙂 🙂 🙂 Sometimes the most profound thoughts emerge from the simplest pleasures. The author was fortunate to know such a farmer, indeed!!
It’s heartening to see a tree standing in the middle of a cultivated piece of land—someone at one time thought it worthy of saving.
I love those linear green lines!!!
June 4, 2014 at 3:42 pm