I DO !

I DO

or ( The farmboy's I Do! )

I am my own slave.
In the primary world there is no
escaping the menial others wage slaves for
I drive myself with a whip of ‘have to’
- an elemental way of thinking…
But I do

'Do you take this earth?' the preacher
intones. 'To have and hold to
till death you to earth return?'
And my solemn vow 'I take you'
gives small change for earth taking seed of me…
But I do.

No! - I want mistress of the moon…
Oh any, any, comely star will do...
Love me some other, other...Other!
Infidelities are what I'm brewing
An easy lay. Lie! Why stay earthbound?
But I do.

Rings? With these shackles I farm
Wild oats back into a soil manure
and the house of earth I lay up
shoulders my sweat the daylong. True,
weeds thrive, work is my curse…
But I do.

Wayne David Knoll © 1987

Pub 1993 in ‘Compost of Dreams’

Broadcast-Publication on "POETICA' ABC Radio National, May 2006 and January 2007

Written out of reflections on a wrestling of the demon duty and thinking of my farmer brothers and my father who farms on after 50 years (and still does in 2007). Feeling powerless in abilities turned to small account. Yet this is a small parable of fidelity in spite of other pulls, and even while wresling with the angel as Jacob did, asking for a better deal. But that can soon become the story of bondage and fear of faith. Judith Rodriguez called this a splendid poem.