He’s forgotten he put his keys in his back pocket
for the 4,000th time on our TV. Silly Les.
He’s left his picnic basket in the long grass
where the combine harvester is chugging. Silly Les.
He’s left the cow gate open. Silly Les.
He’s struggling to put the fence post in. Silly Les.
Tractor Ted doesn’t mention Les’s singsong voice,
or how his hair sits ruffled on his head from hard work.
No one mentions how he could have retired by now
but being surrounded by family and fresh air
is what keeps that smile alive. Silly Les.

© Carl Burkitt 2022