woolly thinking

i was up just before dawn
sitting there in a pre-caffeine trance
waiting to lose myself in toast marmalade and strong black coffee
it was too early (and i was too late) for the puerile smiles of breakfast tv
so
i opened the curtains to let in the half-light

outside

other figures moved
three men four dogs
and
a paisley swirl of moving lambs
wide-eyed wash-whirling across the hillside below the house
i munched and pondered
as the dogs
arched like eager mobile commas
crouched stalked and sprinted
to
control eddies of ovine obstinacy

my coffee
and the round up
ran out about the same time

the sheep were bleating in the pens
as a big artic backed down the lane

for once
i let diligence triumph over gastronomy
and
laced up my boots
for a walk
then
set off with that aimless plod of the terminally indecisive

i watched gulls rise from the low-tide flats
saw rabbits scamper ahead of me
and
disappear into the fireweed
with a flash of scut and purpose

i wandered through waist-high wet bracken
shivering as water ran down my thighs
until
my random ellipse brought me back onto the road
just as the big truck turned out of the T-junction

the lambs looked out at me
their eyes transmitting all kinds of who what whys
they had no idea where they were going
maybe
they figured i had some answers

yeah right
on down days i need a map to find my asshole or my id
still
the thought gave me a smile

or was it a sheepish grin

i decided to think about it over coffee

………………………………