Rice On the Road

We walk along wet
roadside picturing the new
sunlight on rice farms,

fathers and hardwork.
Barefeet turn drying rice
as trucks beep confused

alarm at the white
woman and small brown boy out
in unsheltered heat.

Flood water rushes
through our pictures, seeing all
green and green and green

until three heads stand
staring (like the trucks) then smile.
Hands saying hello.

Wandering the provincial highway in the afternoon, we chatted with rice growers and their kids. Note the broom made from tree leaves.

Afternoon Walks, Poverty, Rice

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Melinda J. Irvine

Melinda J. Irvine is a freelance writer, blogger and creative. She writes for business clients and online publications all over the world. When she’s not writing about holistic health and ways to become a more effective writer, Mel is practicing tai chi and supporting the emotional wellbeing of marginalised kids in the Philippines. Sometimes she even has time to cross stitch.

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