BARRY CALLAGHAN
man of letters
MEDIA: POET
Shearing
Hogg had been awake all night, unable to sleep, and when he
told her that a man has to have his sleep she told him about sheep,
white and black sheep on either side of the border. She told him
how black sheep crossed to be with white sheep and turned white
and how white sheep crossed to be with black sheep and turned
black. But one day God took away the border, pulling it like a
rope through the long grass and all the sheep turned grey as they
chased the rope to the end of the world and disappeared into
nowhere and that is how God, who has to keep an open eye on
things if He is going to be God, stays awake, by counting sheep.
He is still counting sheep because the sheep keep coming.