Farm

Sheila Martindale is poetry editor of Canadian Author and Bookman and
the author of No Greater Love.

In this book about the harsh realities of farm life, Marilyn Cay
describes the long hours of physical labor in all seasons, the
recapturing of recalcitrant pigs, the shooting of a mother cow in order
to save the calf, and other painful events. The poems also demonstrate
the stress that farming places on personal relationships. “String
Games” is a very powerful comment on how close to the breaking point a
person can be and yet still function. Through this poet’s eyes, we see
the smallness of human life against the backdrop of natural elements,
and we become aware of the constant presence of death. Farm shatters the
myth that rural life is idyllic, and yet the poems are not all
depressing; as spring follows winter, so hope follows despair. This is a
fine, cohesive first collection by a talented writer.