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Meadow Melody

Chewing the cud unperturbed by the world in the heat’s haze,

Up in the meadow tread red-polled, old, dun cows and brown cows,

Jerseys and Guernseys combining with Holsteins, all fine beasts.

 

All summer long in the strong, blinding sunshine, the kine graze,

Nibbling the timothy, fescue and rye grass, that high grass

Hiding the hollows, where tussocks of sedge deck the marsh edge.

 

Bulls on the hillocks are wickedly bitten by big ticks.

Under the sun comes the hum of the irritant insects

Startling the cattle who battle their biting with dim sense.

 

High on the hummocks, the bullocks, once playful, are hay-full,

Dreaming as sunbeams are streaming to bleach all the green grass

Lazy, as daises emblazon the hay with their white smiles.

 

Sunset is heading to redden and deaden the fierce heat,

Stealing the gold of the fold back to lacklustre blackness

So that the herd and the world can return to their sweet sleep.

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Comments

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John Coopey

Thu 21st Jul 2011 10:35

A bit different from most of your previous stuff, Richard.
I missed some of the emphases first time I read it but then listened to the audio which helped me out.
I bet it performs well.

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C Richard Miles

Wed 20th Jul 2011 23:07

Thanks, Ray - not sure about the "old, red-polled" suggestion - the internal rhyme might be better but how would it fit into the dactylic rhythm of the piece?

Anyone recognise why it follows that rhythm in any case? Who provided the (unfashionable) inspiration?

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Ray Miller

Wed 20th Jul 2011 22:00

You do good sonics. 2nd and 3rd verses are best, I think, though dimness is better than dim sense? These 5 lines are really good.
All summer long in the strong, blinding sunshine, the kine graze,

Nibbling the timothy, fescue and rye grass, that high grass

Hiding the hollows, where tussocks of sedge deck the marsh edge.

Should be "old, red-polled" I think.

Bulls on the hillocks are wickedly bitten by big ticks.

Under the sun comes the hum of the irritant insects



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