Cuba-1962...

 
I am awakened at dawn  
by the suns warmth
on my face
My night was restless  
and the need for my partner
grips my being
and my soul
I reach out but the empty
bed tells me that her work
ethic has overwhelmed her
She preceded me  
to the cane field
cutting it low for max return
I rise, grab my tools
and go to the field  
I find the body lying face down  
in the stumps of cane
I cut what remains
my loses minimized  
I bring the body  
with the cane
Will the market ever feel
the sorrow or pain  
in their pitiful pursuit  
of sweetness
No I think not
The demand for sweetness
outweighs the value of  
a common farmer
and profits discount
the grief and sadness