Here I have tried to capture a small snapshot of bush life in Australia. Shearing is an important industry in our country

The Shed

It stands alone in the early morn,
A structure large , looking a bit forlorn,
, surrounded by sheep pens, chutes
along the back., Down at the end
of the old bush track

The early sun gives it surrealist look,,
this large structure made of iron and wood
so out of place in this vast empty space.

This is the shearing shed, soon it will come
alive , when the shearers arrive, bringing their
combs and cutters, T he big deisel engine
will stutter into life. The shearing time has
come again.

Now the pens , both outside and inside the shed ,
are full of sheep in full wool . No time for sleep
now. The shed boss has his watch in hand, the shearers
take their stand , waiting for the bell.

The bell sounds and hear the feet pouind, across
the board, each man entering a pen, grabbing his
sheep in hand, dragging it , to his stand,

The shearing has begun, and as the sun blazes down
the shed is alive, a hive of industry, dogs barking, sheep baaing, the big engine thumping, the shed hands running
picking up the fleeces , throwing them on the table
picking pieces.

The big press groans pressing fleeces into bales,
The semi's loaded taking bales to sales
The last shheep's shorn, now only empty pens,
The shearing is all over until it's shearing time again.


John W 03/11/03