Three Sheep

Three Sheep

There were three sheep.
Well, there were also other sheep. But these three,
they had found themselves
alone before a large pond.

They were scared.
Should we go through it, one asked the others.

No, we have no idea how deep it is!
And there could be LEECHES!

Let’s rest and get some good sleep tonight, that first one said,
have a better idea about things in the morning.
It was unanimous.

In the morning, they found themselves on the edge of that big pond.

Huh, still here, still a pond.
Still deep. Still leeches.

The next months played out in this way,
every morning, one pointing to the pond,
the other two murmuring: deep, leeches.

The air began to get colder.
Fall wandered in and set up camp.
Talk of leeches went up into the red leaves
like sparks from a fire. Mmmhmm, deep.

One day, it was winter.
Two deer stood on the pond, and shouted over,
Morning! It’s frozen now! Clamber over!

Deep, they said, and shrank closer together. Leeches.

What gives, one deer said. The other shrugged.

Instead of good morning, the sheep would talk about the pond.
Pond today! It’s deep and full of leeches, isn’t it?
Sure is. Absolutely leech-ridden.

They lived there for the rest of their lives.
They called themselves a flock.

One day, nine years since they came to live there,
their original flock walked around the other edge of the pond.

Hey! Look who it is, the old flock called across.

How do you like our new spot, they asked their old friends and family.
We are so proud of how it’s turned out.
Just the right amount of leeches.