From the hodge porridge
of their country lust,
their local life in Illinois,
where all their acres look
like a sprouting broom factory,
The word  hodge  is used as a name for a typical English agricultural laborer. Such “hodge porridge” is a description used to depict the sometimes dissatisfying way of living. This can be supported by the pitchfork in the man’s hand, signifying hard and continual labor. In addition, the small pot of flowers located above the woman’s left shoulder can be recognized as a symbol for domestic labour that women endured during the mid-twentieth century. 
 “Their country lust” may refer to the unofficial label on their marriage or love. The “wife” in the painting may be better defined as a  spinster ; an unmarried woman that has surpassed her time for betrothal. Thus, their love is that of pity. 
 The first two lines of this poem portrays the setting of the picture, when noting time period and place of representation. They may also indicate the obvious absence of satiable living standards during the 1930’s, which is when the Great Depression was at the pinnacle of economic instability.
The Farmers Wife