Other Poems
This is a selection of other poems. These include a couple of sheepie poems, which I have written in the style of some of the masters. Often these great men were somewhat shy of exploring their fascination with sheep and so disguised it at the time. Here I redress the balance.Daffodils
William Wordsworth's poem 'Daffodils' was originally inspired by a chance encounter one spring day with a flock of dancing sheep. Needless to say, this had a profound effect upon his poetic sensibilities, and he was inspired to commit his feelings to paper. Unfortunately, the world was not ready for revelations about the terpsichoreal antics of sheep, and peer pressure finally persuaded the great man that something more conventional would make better subject matter. So, it got changed to daffodils!
Daffodils! Who in their right mind would write a poem about daffodils? They don't even make a decent salad. Anyhow, I have taken this opportunity to correct this mistake. I am sure that Mr William Wordsworth will not mind, because he is dead.
Excelsior
I confess, it is true that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow penned the original in 1862, but I could not but help notice parallels in my own sheep's life. I, too, feel that need to strive and am driven by forces I do not understand, to excel in a world not made for sheep.
My reworking of this excellent poem includes an allusion to an adventure I had concerning the postal service, The Royal Mail, to be precise. This is a true story, which perhaps I shall share with you some other time. It is a tale of brave foolhardiness and daring-do, the like of which one does not normally come across these days. I shall save it for you as a special future treat, I think.
Sheepie, Sheepie
Apologies to William Blake, but look at the wimpish poem he wrote about the lamb - 'Little lamb, who made thee. Dost thou know who made thee?' Patronising git! This is much better.
The World Needs Stupid Poems About Sheep
Part of a philosophy - not necessarily very well thought out, but what usually is?
Night Shepherds
Beyond the normal world and beyond the rural fields of sheep, there are other sheep who inhabit a mental realm where they graze on the borders of sleep. Some are well-behaved but others are out of control. There are those who struggle nightly with these sheep and this is about those troubled people.
The Paving Stone
Sheep like to muse on things which do not overtax their intellect. Objects like trees and stones are ideal and, if the memory fades can always be revisited. As a sheep poet, it is only natural that I should celebrate these in verse. A paving stone is, to a field dwelling creature, something quite exotic and therefore naturally piques my muse.
Electric Sheep
We are seduced away from the real world into others unreal and yet with a reality of their own. We are led without thinking, driven without knowing and are the sheep that we dream of - unless, of course, we are already a sheep in which case ... umm?
