The bard of the dales or poems and miscellaneous pieces; with a life of the author, written by himself. By John Castillo |
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SHEEP MARKING AT WESTERDALE. |
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 | The bard of the dales |  |
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SHEEP MARKING AT WESTERDALE.
The Sheep! who can blame them for paying us off,
For cruel confinement, and treatment so rough;
For dogging them out of the clover and closes,
For spotting their jackets, and burning their noses.
For cruel confinement, and treatment so rough;
For dogging them out of the clover and closes,
For spotting their jackets, and burning their noses.
'Twas thus we were spending the hour after dinner,
As void of all dread as a case-hardened sinner:
The sheep appeared shocked at those cruel environs,
The smell of the pitch, and the smoke of the irons.
As void of all dread as a case-hardened sinner:
The sheep appeared shocked at those cruel environs,
The smell of the pitch, and the smoke of the irons.
One little sharp wether set up to be master,
As though he had wished us to mark a bit faster;
He slipped by the catcher, and sprung to the door,
Upset the pitch-kettle, and marked us all sore!
As though he had wished us to mark a bit faster;
He slipped by the catcher, and sprung to the door,
Upset the pitch-kettle, and marked us all sore!
From such a disaster we sought a release,
By clipping and scraping, hot water, and grease;
A proof of this story we need not to lack,
For the sheep long will carry the patch on his back.
By clipping and scraping, hot water, and grease;
A proof of this story we need not to lack,
For the sheep long will carry the patch on his back.
The spots and the patches our garments disgrace,—
Like sin and corruption—so bad to erase:
There's nought can the mighty pollution subdue,
But the garment, or heart, being formed anew!
Like sin and corruption—so bad to erase:
There's nought can the mighty pollution subdue,
But the garment, or heart, being formed anew!
| The bard of the dales | |