‘Till it’s Gone

45 Replies
PHOTO PROMPT © Trish Nankivell

Jered studied the fields with a frown.

Heat cracked the rust-red oxidized soil, a dust devil, some scrub brush on the side.

But it was gone, all of the corn and beans.  A bit of shriveled brown and tan with a hint of yellow and green.  That was it.

This was once considered prime farmland with rich, black soil.

Or so his pa had told him.

But that was when a huge tractor plowed acres in minutes and the fields stretched to the horizons.

Before the heat.

He shook his head.

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.

***

For some reason, the second I saw this photo, I thought the words of that last line, words that I first heard sung by Joni Mitchell. Do you remember the song Big Yellow Taxi? Click here if you don’t see it below.

Word count = 100 (Not including the tag about Joni Mitchell)

Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.  This week’s prompt is here and uses a photo © Sandra Crook. Read more or join in by following the InLinkz “linky“.

45 thoughts on “‘Till it’s Gone”

  1. Girl in Niagara

    Really enjoyed your story Trent. I was leaning that way too when I saw the image. Reminds me of vineyards and farms that have disappeared here in Niagara in favour of development. “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” Of course, I remember that song, love it! Goes through my head every time I see a new development spring up on open land.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      There should be no regrets, and we do need to make do with what we have, but still, to destroy so much of what’s so important and not feel it int he future is not possible…

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  4. Lisa

    I remember the song! Although I remember it a bit different from what it was. I am from Northern California, and when I heard the word “Paradise” I thought she was singing about the town! Paving Paradise! I was young…

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      lol, that is funny. I was just a little kid when I heard it, but, having older siblings, I got the main idea. As an 8 year old I decorated my room with maps and ecology posters, not sports teams or rock bands….

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  6. bearmkwa

    Reminds me of the “great dust bowl” of the west. Our earth is definitely going through another cycle of renewal… in more ways than one. We are called to be caretakers of the land, yet… well, we really suck at that, now, don’t we. Great writing. Merry Christmas! ~ Shalom, Bear

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  8. Brenda's Thoughts

    That is certainly true. There are many things from this past year that I could say that about; you don’t know what you got ’til its gone. Love Joni Mitchell. I hope you have a lovely day tomorrow and a happy holiday between now and the new year, Trent!

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Joni was/is a genius and the song, while mostly about environment, does take that last line, and like you, looks at her past and things she will miss (her “man”, her house). Happy Holidays :)

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      If we let it go, how long will it take to rebalance nature? We might be able to do it, but it will end up at a very different place than it is today. I think I was in high school when I read Dune, but if I remember correctly, it was the second book when they started to reforest. I think I dropped it after that book and have been told hundreds of times I need to read the entire series – it gets better as it goes….

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Thanks, Rochelle. I don’t know if she was the first one to use that line (I doubt it) but she certainly made it her own. It is a bit of an ear-worm, but a great song and obviously very influential on my way of thinking.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      After thinking that line and remembering that it was a Joni Mitchell song, I just had to post it, thinking of you :) I still haven’t come up with a list of woman musical performers for my Mt. Rushmore, but I’ve been thinking about it.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      I have read that in 50 years a lot of currently very populated areas will not be livable by humans. And the weather patterns have been changing, so there are extreme droughts and extreme storms, etc. It is scary what the future might bring….

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      1. robbiesinspiration

        Yes, doesn’t it make you wonder about the real purpose of Covid-19. It is changing the way people behave, less flying, less driving, less carbon emissions, less global warming. Ah! I’m a conspiracy theorist after all. Cheers, Trent, and enjoy your Christmas.

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