{"id":20016,"date":"2025-06-25T12:47:14","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:47:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/?p=20016"},"modified":"2025-06-27T12:17:47","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T17:17:47","slug":"farmland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2025\/06\/25\/farmland\/","title":{"rendered":"Farmland"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>Farmland<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-765c4724 wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61556140010887\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/boudin_mcneese\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Craig Cotter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">We\u2019d leave the backyard of my parents\u2019 house<br>for the farmer\u2019s land.<br>Walk into the woods he left untouched<br>down to a river.<br>A small, slow-moving river\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">maybe more a creek\u2014<br><br>say 8 feet across and that late summer day<br>2 feet deep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">We\u2019d cross the water,<br>my tennis shoes<br>your work boots<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">where it bent,<br>then head for the woods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Walk about a mile<br>until all the car noise<br>and all the sounds of people were gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">2<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">That last time<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I was 27, you were 26.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">When we turned the bend in the river<br>heading out into the woods,<br>it was gone.<br>Railroad tracks torn-up.<br>Thousands of acres clear-cut for housing tracts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I sat down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I was never thinner\u2014runner<br>with brown hair flowing over my shoulders<br>in thick waves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">You were never stronger,<br>light blonde German hair<br>in many directions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">3<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">At the bend in the river<br>we knew things.<br><br>I was back from Los Angeles,<br>you were married to a girl with two baby sons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">You drove us in your large black pick-up,<br>2-ton bed, for your swimming pool business<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">to a gas station, said, \u201cGive me twenty dollars.\u201d<br>You never asked to borrow anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Handed you the twenty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">4<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">We met at a club<br>where you danced straight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">It was a stupid club on East Ave<br>trying to be hip,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">mostly straights<br>with perfect love and soul mating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I turned around and left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">5<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Later that night<br>you climbed the fire-escape,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">stepped into my loft through the window<br>I\u2019d left open,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">took off your shirt, socks, work boots,<br>got under the covers in jeans,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">asleep as soon as your arms wrapped around me,<br>exhaling vodka and beer in my hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">6<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In the morning you said Kathy told you to choose:<br>to stay with her you could never see me again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">*<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">It wasn\u2019t like I invited you to LA or<br>wanted to live in Rochester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">It seemed we could keep being friends on the side.<br>We thought she was unreasonable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">You said today would have to be the last day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">*<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">You picked-me-up in your black pick-up the next<br>night. That was the last one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A Christian conservative Bible preacher held forth on AM radio.<br>I couldn\u2019t tell if it was a joke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Craig Cotter<\/strong> was born in 1960 in New York and has lived in California since 1986. His poems have appeared in hundreds of journals in the U.S., France, Italy, the Czech Republic, the U.K., Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada, India and Ireland. Books include <em>The Aroma of Toast, Chopstix Numbers<\/em>, and <em>After Lunch with Frank O\u2019Hara<\/em>. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.craigcotter.com\/\">www.craigcotter.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>__________<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"211\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg 438w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1-300x145.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2025\/06\/25\/trans-substantiation-hypertrophy-lunacy\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"20013\">\ud83e\udca0 Back<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2025\/06\/25\/there-were-signs\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"19988\">Next \ud83e\udca1<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">To learn more about submitting your work to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/boudin-submissions\/\">Boudin<\/a><\/em> or applying to McNeese State University&#8217;s Creative Writing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/mfa-application-submissions\/\">MFA program<\/a>, please visit Submissions for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Farmland Craig Cotter __________ We\u2019d leave the backyard of my parents\u2019 housefor the farmer\u2019s land.Walk into the woods he left untoucheddown to a river.A small, slow-moving river\u2014 maybe more a creek\u2014 say 8 feet across and that late summer day2 feet deep. We\u2019d cross the water,my tennis shoesyour work boots where it bent,then head for&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[231],"tags":[75,145,18],"class_list":["post-20016","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pride","tag-boudin","tag-poetry-2","tag-poetry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20016","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20016"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20016\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20148,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20016\/revisions\/20148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20016"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20016"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20016"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}