Our Daily Breed

Ewes are
cloud-dotted cheviots,
black-faced Scottish,
black Welsh mountain,
border, dales or dorper,
merino, Suffolk, Dorset browns
spotty Jacobs, multicoloured Shetlands.

I love ewe
wool and felt and lanolin
lamb and ram,
your sound, your look,
your startle,
jumping bog,
skipping brook,
ewe baa, ewe bleet,
you make a din.

Little lamb, who made
your innocent sacrifice no sin?

And I confess I love
your minted meat
your glove-warm skin.