Brad McCAULEY – New South Wales

Royal Australian Air Force (1984 – 2017)

Creative Writing ~ Program 16.1

Artist’s Context – Poem: The Shearer
While I was on the ARRTS program my wife Melinda sent me a picture of her son Riley shearing
a ewe down Dalgety way in the Snowy Mountains area. As she was being shorn her lamb came in
and stood beside her for the duration. I was moved to write a little story about it for Riley in poem form.

The shearer sat by the gurgling stream that ran behind the shed
Miles away from anywhere, the thoughts inside his head
Time away from the hectic boards and some quiet he did seek
With hand of burr, his back did ache and of sheepus did he reek

Started young in this harsh game and so skilled he had become
Find his place in the world he had, big cities were not his fun
Such a simple life he thought, as the call of the boards received
The last set today and then another day, before a break relieved

And then on this day he saw such a sight, that he would not forget
Dragged from the pen the ewe did come, wall eyes and his did meet
She kicked and stamped and thrashed about, curious this was to him
Only to calm, when free from harm, her lambie, did he bleat

Had squeezed through the old wood pen, the frail little lamb did come
There was no way, on this shearing day, was he going to leave his mum
Frail, with tail and wobbly on feet, he stood and watched just out of reach
Never before, had the shearer seen, a connection run so deep

The long blow done, final strokes made, off the shears did click
Down the chute and out of sight, his mother gone so quick
Where did she go, what do I do, he looked about in fright
Until the shearer’s hands did wrap him quick, to end his scary plight

A frightened bleat, a cry for help, is becoming a lamb chop my final fate?
The shearer kind and gentle, he opened the rickety chute gate
Reaching down with long strong arms, back to the flock he went
A smile on his face the shearer did have, reunited family, the strength of love