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The sublime poet Suzette Benjamin is the Poet of the Week for this week’s W3 Weekly Poetry Prompt #75. Here are her guidelines:
Suzette’s prompt guidelines Compose a poem on the theme of: What ‘harvest’ means to you.
What does harvest mean to me?
What does harvest mean to me? Hmm, let me think, Let me see, I live in London Town Does it mean more loaves on the shelves? White bread and brown? I see no corn dollies in these city streets I see no rolled up haystacks wrapped in black plastic sheets. On a visit to the countryside my kids thought they were dragon poo left in a field Not bundles of hay stacked in stacks Not oats, rapeseed, poppies or flax from the late summer yield But dragon poo (What can you do) I know when farmers cry, “The harvest’s in!” The weather’s been dry with just enough rain. The barley’s in the barn and so is the grain There are no haywains in these city streets. No orchards of apples No fields to lie fallow No hills. (there’s Ludgate hill) No cropped crops No ditches or rills No reaping, threshing or winnowing No farmyard tools No ploughs or scythes No scarecrows, No country bumpkin fools (only city ones) No oxen, horses or mules (come to that, they’re not in the countryside either) They’ve all been replaced by the combine harvester. Lesley Scoble, October 2023
Notes
HARVEST The origin of the word harvest comes from the Old English haerfest, which means autumn. THE CORN DOLLY Corn dollies are one of the folk customs of early harvest time. The Pagans believed that the spirit of the corn lived in the crop. When harvested, it left the spirit homeless. They weave a corn dolly from the last sheaf. This token of good luck for the next harvest is to spend the winter in the farmer’s home. FESTIVAL In the UK, we hold the Harvest Festival on the Sunday nearest the harvest moon. The harvest moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox on the 22nd or 23rd of September. I shall look out for the harvest moon in our London sky. THE COMBINE HARVESTER In 1826 in Scotland, the Reverend Patrick Bell created a reaper machine (the scissor action of this invention is still in use today). Hiram Moore invented the combine harvester in the US in 1834. Former models being pulled by teams of horses, donkeys or mules. Moore developed his full-scale invention in 1839. THE HAY WAIN In my poem, I mention haywains. A haywain is a traditional type of large, open, horse-drawn wagon or cart used for conveying hay or straw. It was essential for transporting harvested crops. The Hay Wain (1821) by the English artist John Constable This famous painting depicts a haywain going through the water. It is a beautiful pastoral scene, and one of my favourite paintings. The scene in Flatford Mill, Suffolk, still looks much as it did in Constable’s painting. The white cottage is called Willy Lotts Cottage and is still there today.
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To Sum Up
What does harvest mean to me?
Harvest, when it comes down to it, and with everything combined (pun intended), is a time to celebrate nature’s bounty and the fruits of labour. It is a pivotal moment in the seasons. Harvest time is when we reap what we sow. What we grow. Oops, I feel another rhyme coming on…
HARVEST TIME IS A TIME FOR THANKS Thank you Suzette for your inspiring poetry prompt. Read Suzette’s beautiful poem, Ode to the Soil here. Thank you, David, for your W3 Weekly Prompt on The Skeptics Kaddish. IMAGE CREDITS Haystacks in Provence by Van Gogh (1888) | Courtesy of www.VincentVanGogh.org The Hay Wain by John Constable (1821) | National Gallery, London The Gleaners (Des glaneuses) by Jean-François Millet completed in 1857
FOOTNOTE
My secret drawer. Click here for a little bit more…
THE WURZELS and THE COMBINE HARVESTER (and a little bit of personal history on a harvest theme)
Once upon a time, I was a dancer on Granada TV’s series The Arrows.
One week we worked with the wonderful, ebullient group of musicians called The Wurzels.
Below, I show you a clip of them singing in that very show in their inimitable country bumpkin style, their hit song The Combine Harvester.
When the day’s shoot was over, the Wurzels invited us to join them in their dressing room—where they had an enormous barrel of Somerset Scrumpy! 🥴
I love those guys. Please, let’s now raise a glass of the apple picked brew to the brilliant and unforgettable Wurzels. Cheers boys! 🍎
The Gleaners
Jean François Millet, French artist (born on 4th October 1814) was a master of painting pictures of harvest time. One such painting was The Gleaners.
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I was a dancer on telly. Our dance group’s name was Him and Us. In one of the shows we did a number to Dolannes Melody by Jean Claude Borelly and it involved us dancing inside Millet’s famous painting, The Gleaners.
This pretty poor image is a screen grab from The Arrows series. It is a harvest scene and shows me carrying a fardel of freshly harvested twigs. The costumes were copies of the subjects’ clothing in Millet’s painting.
![](https://lesleyscoble.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/img_5246-2078241063-e1696508619142.jpeg?w=949)
What does harvest mean to me? At this period in my life, it meant prancing around with a load of fardels to music.
Lesley lives in the City of London Square Mile. An artist, actor and sculptor (her first ceramic sculpture won the V&A inspired by… Award). Scenic artist & book illustrator, playwright, (her musical play, Rapscallion performed in inner city schools and theatre school); TV dancer; Animator and illustrator for TV production. Set up Pinecone Studios Ltd and IIMSI Ltd drama and filmmaking workshops in London – producing award-winning films made by children.
31 responses to “The Combine Harvester: a free verse poem”
DRAGON POO! Amazing!
You’re so right, Lesley… We’re also disconnected from the sources of our food, and as the years go on, more and more people move to the cities, away from the countryside… It’s happening all around the world…
❤
David
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…and farming becoming more intensive.
Thank you, David. ❤️You got the point of my poem. 🙏🌹
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Lesley!
Mazal tov ~ Suzette has selected as you as this week’s W3 host.
I’ve sent you an email ~ please check your spam folder in case you don’t see it in your inbox.
Thanks!
Much love,
David
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OMG
Thanks, David 🌹
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*HUG*
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I like the way you’ve created a circle which is broken in so many ways, but still carries on in a new form. Dancing also works so well with your poem. (K)
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Thank you so much, Kerfe 🙏🩷
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Lesley, your share is fantastic! Thank you for the facts and detailed information you added to your poem’s rich imagery. Interesting “Hay wain,” that is new to me!! Thank you.
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Thank you for the inspiration, Suzette 🙏😊
I thought I was going to write a book! 😂 I never knew the word harvest could lead to so many things.
Even old memories…
I congratulate anyone who reads to the end.
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You are very welcome, Lesley! A book on the subject from your wisdom, sounds like a great idea!! Happy writing. Happy Autumn “Not’s”
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A charming, playful and educational poem!
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Thank you, Steve! 🥳
I appreciate your comment so much 🙏
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You’re welcome, Lesley! 😊
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A delightful poem. I also loved all the added information. I learned some new things!! Thank you.
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Thank you, Heather!💛😊💛
(tee hee, I’m a mine of useless information 😁) L x
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I’m always fascinated by useless information!
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I also feel the “lack of harvest” here, but I did love the addition of Dragon Poo …..
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😊💛 Thank you, Brazenmuse 😊💛
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You are welcome – name Suzanne to friends here ☺️
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Thank you, Suzanne! 😊🙏💛
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Congratulations Lesley, you have been selected of Poet of the Week for Davids W3 next prompt. Yay!!
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OMG.
Thanks, Suzette!
Crikey. Now I have to think up a prompt 😁🙃 umm 🤔
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You are most welcome. I love the word “crikey” Happy creating Lesley!
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Thanks Suzette! You too! 💛
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[…] Lesley’s prompt guideline […]
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Yes, very educational, Lesley! Although, I must admit I read ‘crop circles’ instead of ‘cropped crops’ (for some reason!), which stopped my flow a bit.
Oh, and them dragons must be big! 😳🤣
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Oooo, I like it! Maybe I’ll change it to that. 😁
The biggest dragons you ever saw! 🤣
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🤣
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Such an enjoyable and informative post Lesley 💜
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Thank you, Willow. 😊🙏❤️
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