sun bleached red with rust spots over it's body
over heated sitting in the afternoon harvest sun
shafts of ungleaned stalks forgotten and left behind
shroud the body of this dear old friend
in days gone by when this tractor was new
gleaming in the sun, we both were young
now to match it's aged rust, I ware liver spots too
farm house across the field, as faded as we
once a soft shade of pearl white with strong green
now sits aged and muted gray with moss soft trim
times removed all the sharp edges, in it's place
leaving us all callused, harsh and rough to the touch
having had a long and fruitful wonder of a life
we retired to the barn of many declined winters
for the last of autumn's harvest moon wanes
I will remove all vestiges of soil from the field
place a tarp over this old soldiers work worn back
pull the barn doors close, walk across the bare yard
to my beloved sweet wife waiting dinner in the shade
This small American farm has retired as of this day