To a subsoiler

Lucie Beattie

Soil sticks like marl,
Dismal, without air, its thorny
disposition doesn’t harbour seed.

Tram-worn and tired, finite
furrows return and prosper,
With ardent attention.

Vivid hues begrime you, they
scar vitality in your wake,
So that life, and roots, may take.

The Science

Soil compaction is one of the most serious environmental problems caused by conventional agriculture.  Compaction occurs when pore space between soil particles reduces, this creates a challenging environment for crops and plants to take root and thrive.  Marl soils, for example, tend to have a high moisture content and are therefore extremely prone to compaction.  When soils become compacted over time due to frequent cultivation practices using heavy machinery farmers can use a tool called a subsoiler to loosen and break up compaction in deeper layers of soil.  This technique is somewhat outdated and biological and regenerative methods now provide a more sustainable approach to mitigating soil compaction.  This poem describes a 1960s subsoiler that I encountered abandoned in a field.

The Poet

Lucy Beattie is a PhD student at the University of the West of Scotland.  Her research looks at the triple nexus of teaching, research and public engagement in STEM education.  As well as growing up on a farm, Lucy studied Agriculture as an undergraduate and taught Agriculture and rural skills at FE level. 

Next poem: Today's to-do list: Deinococcus radiodurans by Moira Garland