The Dorset Shepherd
Dorchester, 30 May, 2023
(With apologies to William Barnes)
Cast in bronze, a-standen strong,
On his crook a-leanen.
There he do bide all day among
The busy shoppers passen.
Across the street, zee en stare,
His wold groun’ wrap’d in tarmac bare.
Will’m Barnes woonce kept school there,
Nwone knoow ‘zackly where.
His dog, quiet at his veet a-lies
At rest, head down, but not a-zleep,
Allus alert to’s master’s cries
Ready to roun’ up strayen sheep.
But where now the vlock, where the vwold,
When come the sheades of evenen?
No shepherds now, nor young, nor wold,
No sheep now heard a-bleaten.