Black Cattle Escaping!

Welsh Black mountain cattle

loping off down the road

With fences torn and gateposts worn

Tell Farmer of trouble he has sewn

 

Mother drives off happily

We ask, “excuse, those cattle yours?”

The woman looks bewildered

Replies, “ours look the same, of course.”

 

Deserted pasture looks most lush

Into that the liberated cattle rush

We stare as Mother casts a gaze

Then wanders off in troubled daze

 

She leaves the field gate gaping wide

I say, “shall we shut those beasts inside?”

City dwellers jump to locking up

The bovines realize now they’re stuck

 

Galloping across surprising quick

The leading animal sees through my trick

She stamps a snort of bitter hate

as if to say, “human, leave that gate!”

 

Patrick Mackeown, May 2006

Picture by Bill Davenport