The shepherd's story

Sitting here alone
I watch the sheep graze -
wondering if it's time to move on to the next hill,
I expect the pasture's long and lush by now.

I rise and stretch and, in the corner of my eye,
catch a glimpse of red and yellow,
leaping,
crackling,
down there at the bottom of the hill.
A campfire?
No, there's no one round but me to light one.
It must be a bush ablaze.

There isn't any danger of it spreading
but I clamber down to take a closer look.
Yes - just a bush on fire, that's all.
The flames are fierce, but in the heart of it,
- how odd! -
the leaves are fresh and green.

A strange thing, nature, isn't it?

Still - can't stand staring all day, can !?
Not when there are sheep to be looked after.

As I climb the hill, I think,
"The next time I see Moses at the waterhole,
I'll have a tale to tell him -
if I don't forget.!


June 6th 95
Exodus 3.2