Ewe and yours
The complexity of the modern world abates
As the simplicity of nature takes hold
A tug of the legs – a lamb emerges
Life begins
A first intake of breath
Tentative steps on unstable legs
The mother nuzzles encouragement
The lamb suckles – the bond is formed
For the shepherds
Night and day are punctuated by the lambing shed
Empathy between them and their flock
Care and compassion but no sentimentality
In sheep pens expectant ewes clamber together
Quiet pervades, nervous tension mounts
The dominant sound is birdsong
A lullaby for new births
Stillborns, singles, twins, triplets
Coloured numbers record the story
Motherless pets guzzle milk from bottles
Whilst ewes with their lambs progress to the fields
Sheltering in a dip, older lambs learn to live
As the harsh easterly wind blows across the dormant field
On a high bank
Stocky rams survey the outcomes of their deeds
Ruminating ceases as heads lift in unison
The shepherd approaches
Feeding troughs refilled
Ewes jostle for their daily fayre
The sheepdog presses herself into the ground
A coiled spring awaiting her master’s command
Action – the formation dance begins
To the right, to the left, straight on, finale
Demanding, frustrating, rewarding
The way of life on the farm
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