Today’s work was hard
driving stakes to trellis tomatoes.

Those T-posts growing heavier with each one,
and the more I hammered the post-driver,

the more I felt its weight too.

I still feel reverberations of every hit
pounding through my body

metallic clink clink clink echoing in my eardrums.

I lay here thinking of how buff I’d be
if I did such intense physical labor every day.

I lay here thinking of how broken
I’d be in a few more years,

grateful my livelihood doesn’t depend on
paying with vigor

thankful to those who labor unnoticed,
those without options,
those whose work is unending,

doing jobs that uphold us all.