A Quite Stroll In The Country Poem by Orlando Belo

On a warm May morning, I made my way down Kilburn Lane,
I noticed a horse caught up in the fence by his tangled mane.
'Do me a favour, ' said the horse, 'please try to untangle me,
I've been tugging here for ages and I'm unable to get free.'

'Hold steady friend, I'll soon have you undone,
this barbed wire is treacherous and would be a struggle for anyone.
There you are my friend your mane is now released,
I'm pleased to have helped, and now I'll leave you in peace.'

'Thank you, ' said the horse as it trotted off for a drink.
'Goodbye, ' I yelled, as I headed towards the farmyard stink.
Beyond the next hedgerow was a couple of aged sheep,
'Come over here, ' one shouted, as it started to bleat.

'Could you possibly tell me where my family has gone?
The farmer rounded them up and I can't hear a single one? '
'Well, I don't know, maybe he took them to the shearing shed,
to have their winter coats removed, 'I said.

'Maybe you're right, but many of the sheep were taken away last year,
and I saw and heard them crying in a lorry that passed close by here.
Could it be possible that they were transferred to another farm?
I would really hate it if they came to any kind of harm.'

'Tell me sheep, why do you think the old farmer keeps you here? '
'Why to keep the grass short and of course for our wool every year.'
'Well, sheep it's not for me to interfere with the way that you live,
but if you are well cared for, what more can any farmer give? '

'That's very true, the farmer always looks after we sheep,
and he protects our lambs from the cold winter sleet.'
'I must go now sheep, but it was nice chatting with you,
maybe I'll see you again perhaps in a day or two? '

'Goodbye to you stranger have a nice day and enjoy your walk,
I better chew this grass down before other sheep begin to talk.'
I walk passed two more fields when a cow cried out 'I say you!
Excuse me, but could you possibly spare a moment or two? '

'Of course I can Mrs, Cow, what can I possibly do for you? '
'They say that our milk is wholesome, is that really true? '
'It certainly is, and people drink it all over the world every single day.'
'And is the cheese and butter they make from it, as good as they say? '

'Oh indeed yes, that's also very true, but why do you ask? '
'Well everyone seems to think that it's such an easy task
to give milk twice a day, and then see it taken away in churns.
We'd like to know how much money our milk actually earns.

As producers, we think that we should get a commission from the sales,
like socks, boots, and coats, to protect us from the winter gales.'
'Well, why don't you cows take your argument to the local press?
They might print your story and tell the world about your quest.'

'What a good idea, do you think our farmer will give his support? '
'I don't really think so, he might, and I suppose that he ought.
Anyway, it's time for me to go now and get on with my walk,
good luck with your quest Mrs, Cow and thanks for the talk.'

As I continued my walked along the well-worn farmyard track,
a duck jumped out in front of me and gave me a lot of quacks.
'Slow down with your quacking if you want to be understood,
I never heard a single word you said and that simply is no good.'

The duck was trying his utmost to make me understand
that he wasn't a happy quacker with this dry farming land.
"There is no watering hole or pond on this entire place,
so how could we possibly bathe or even wash our face? "

Oh dear, what a morning, I only came out for a quiet walk,
and now once again I had to stop, listen, and talk.
'Hello friend duck, to say the least, I must agree with you,
a duck must have water for all the things ducks do.

But I'm not the person, to whom you should be complaining,
you must tell the farmer why you are unhappy and wailing.'
'Oh, I've spoken with him, but he won't listen to my plight.'
'Well, my feathered friend you will just have to take flight.

However, how far you actually fly is entirely up to you,
but over yonder valley, there is a river flowing through.'
'Tell me truly, is there really a river? Well, I never knew that.'
So, off he waddled away saying, 'Thank you, quack, quack! '

I believe that I have had enough walking and talking for one day,
I'll head back towards home using the old footpath way.
The old farmer stopped me and said, 'Good morning to you,
I hope you haven't been upsetting my ostrich and kangaroo? '