Garden, Farm Or Both Poem by yakubu abukari n

Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown
O ye knower of rights and shirker of duty
Ugly indeed is the face the wears a frown
A smile doth make a face pretty
So cheer up with this story
Not too fascinating, yet not at all gory…

Once upon a time in land not far away
In a place we have known till this day
Lived newly wedded- Achullo and his farm (Lamley)
In love, they lived and laughed
In peace, patience pervaded
For a decade their hearts were handcuffed
After which it was rumored to have faded.

It so happened that Achullo despite his farm
Decided to cultivate a vegetable and fruit garden
Of course he knew how much harm
Such a venture could do- could render a farm barren

He got cabbages and carrots, peaches and pears
Avocados and apricots, and many more in pairs
From a garden well cared for
The entire cost in silence he bore.

His list of items to buy were endless
Included pesticides and weedicides
Soon his account was in duress
Along with other pressures from all sides

Meanwhile since the farm was left unattended
A great multitude of weeds had ascended
Dried up, deserted and desolate, crooked cobs cried for attention
So sad was it that, even Achullo took note of his farm’s depression

Having heard of advances in fruit and vegetable gardening,
His garden suggested thus, one morning,
‘My cabbages need some leaficure and carrots, some foundation’
‘Oranges more fertilizer, mango trees- branch extension’

Now Achullo had lost a once fresh and fertile farm,
And his garden, no money to maintain
Clearly my audience we all know what harm
Achullo and his ilk are bound to sustain.

He stood by his garden and pondered,
He trekked to his farm and looked for long in despair
He cried his heart out in penitence, but his farm wondered
After all the neglect did Achullo now care?