A Matter of Life and Death

Out here
on the farm,
it is not the picture postcard Swedish countryside.

Life is cruel.

Amongst the hysteria of us women,
maybe the new born calf won't live.
Maybe he will be dinner tonight.

Göran is mostly calm:
"It's just a stupid cow, goddamnit."

And, for true, it is.
And his mother is rejecting him,
and it is a lot of extra work to care for him.

And, out here,
on the farm,
life is cruel.