Earthworms

Chamini Kulathunga

“Dear father,
why don’t we attend
the Ploughing Festival?
Even the king is coming
to the field today.
Shouldn’t we break this silence
and announce
it is us
who manured this soil
from within the bowels of the earth?”
   
“Little earthworm son,
a hoe’s blade knows not
those who manured the soil
and those who did not.
Therefore, rising into the open air
is unadvised.
Drill your way deeper
to the dark depths of mud.
Doing otherwise, my son,
is not wiser.”