White Fielf Green Sheep

[Grace]

White Field Green Sheep


he's gone wandering again yon down by the river
she think fear knows when the dog come back
with lead and red collar but no four fingered hand

the special is up calming her down nodding
whilst them as nosey agree to casually look 'afar
as they brave twice daily rain on the school run

he's gone yon again wandering lost int' a river
of landmarks and place names and places and
oh it's too much to be here he parks on a bench

waiting the brass bronze river is the same yet yon
dog is gone thither daily rain remind him of mother
to get up school gates for help and Julian and tea

wandering lost again by the yon river bank gone
away in a fairy ring yonder away with the tide
over not yet until a face he half recall greets him

takes him by the arm to yon waiting white car
bids the uniformed children shush talks all the way
friendly everyday familiar until they got home

I strongly dislike this poem - especially the misplaced yons. I'd get the same feeling if I read a lop-sided poem about the gait of someone who had lost a limb. This is a poem written in cracked speech and splintered thought, attempting to mirror the mind of a person suffering vascular dementia. If I was that person, I'd rather someone write my soul shining through the cracks.  Sadly, this is missing - or maybe it's there but I missed it. Grace