A Lament for the Lambs

Lament for the Lambs

To be sung plaintively - with apologies to Gilbert and Sullivan's "Willow-tit-Willow.

The little lambs lay in the midst of the field, moaning
“Midges, oh midges, oh midges! ”.
And I said to them, “Little lambs, why do you keep moaning
‘Midges, oh, midges, oh midges‘?”
“These midges are driving us crazy”, they cried,
“And they keep taking bites of our delicate hide.”
Oh, if only sweet Lynda would let us inside!” And moaned
“Midges, oh midges, oh midges!”

They trotted and dashed through the dark of the night, moaning
“Midges, oh midges, oh midges”.
Oh, they wheeled and they turned to the left and the right, moaning
“Midges, darn midges, oh midges.”
“We don’t think it’s fair and we don’t think it’s right.
That we should be forced to endure this at night.”
And I watched them head off to the west in full flight, moaning
“Midges, drat midges, bad midges.”

Then back they came running and stopped by the house, moaning
“Midges, oh midges, oh midges!”
But Pusscat sat motionless, watching a mouse, which sang
“Midges, oh, midges, darn midges”
And the Proctors slept on through the din and the roar
Neither Howard nor Lynda would come to the door.
So the lambs and their mothers went off to face more of those
Midges, drat midges, bad midges!

Now the moral of this story is easy to tell -  facing
"Midges, oh midges, oh midges.
Go out and buy "bug spray" and spray it on well ‘gainst
Midges, oh, midges, drat midges.
But the lambs and the sheep must continue to run
Til the long night is over and morning light comes.
And they hope for a breeze and a hot summer sun - to halt
Midges, oh midges, darn midges!

For those who don’t know Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Mikado”, this is based on the sad song about a poor little dickie bird which sang “Willow, tit willow, tit willow” till it died of heartbreak..

 

 
 

 

Oh Helen, oh Helen, Oh Helen my dear,

There is no doubt that you are Marlfield Farm's seer.

You have, once again, hit the nail on the head,

This must be the best poem of your's that I've read.

Well done Helen. 

Thanks, Margaret.  I hope you sang it?  It really sounds better with music.

The midges are a worry you know,
We fear for our sheep so much so
Their bleating ad running is causing us stress -
Theres nothing to make their suffering less.
At the back of our mind theres always a care
Blue Tongue will arrive and leave the fields bare.
Relief will arrive when the heat fades away
And so we watch closely until that day

A great reply to those comments in verse

From Lynda who shows how much that she cares.

It won't be too long before the coolness returns

Then everyone including sheep will be much more comfortable...

Oh, dear.  I hope no blue tongue.  I would not write a poem about that - it's too serious.

I know Helen but as everyone seemed to be writing in verse, I thought I would add my own. I didnt want people to think we werent aware of whats happening to the sheep at night..... far from it. Every bleat from a sheep or a lamb means they are troubled with something, either lost their mum, lost their babies, upset by something not immediately apparent... a quiet field is a contented field. So we are fully tuned in to every noise from any animal and try to ascertain the reason for the problem at all times ( including during darkness)....  Though we are not in sight of the webcam most of the time, we try to be always vigilant to their needs     

Lynda,  I know you are worried about them - I picked that up earlier in the week  I was trying to put the verses in the "voice" of the lambs - they don't understand why, when you love them and care for them and bottle-fed then and still give them treats, you cannot shelter them from this terrible affliction.  I certainly didn't intend to convey any lack of caring and concern on your part, so please don't think I did.  I have to admit, though, that I've watched them tearing around the field at night, looking for all the world as if they are in training for the races, that they do look funny.  But I also realise that it's serious.  I am sure you hear them all night long, and that it must be a big concern, as there really is nothing you can do but wait for the midges to go when the weather cools.