Tom
forking hay into an old wheelbarrow
as goats
long eared Nubians all
hustle him
nudging affectionately
their new friend
I was stretching my legs
after a long car ride
while you input the code
to access our cheese
had walked around the barn’s corner and seen
Tom
Apprenticed to the cheese makers
feeding their goats
he paused to introduce us
to half grown kids
butting and bouncing
talked of his deep joy
at tending animals
The same joy I see
in our youngest son
apprenticed engineer
loving the machining
mathematics
and camaraderie
Later we sent him a photo
of happy goats
and a happy Tom
and received a picture
of aircraft undercarriage
and a wish for a pet goat
Copyright © 2020 Kim Whysall-Hammond
For Tom and Paul, at the start of adult life. Light in our darkness.
The Cheesesellers Wife 