The Shepherd And His Flock By Mbuyiseni Oswald Mtshali

The rays of the sun

are like a pair of scissors

cutting the blanket

of the dawn from the sky.

The young shepherd

drives the master’s sheep

from the paddock

into the veld.

His bare feet

kick the grass

and spill the dew

like diamonds

on a cutter’s table

A lamb strays away

enchanted by the marvels

of summer morning

The ram

rebukes the ewe

“Woman! Woman!

Watch over the child!”

The sun wings up

on flaming petal

of a sunflower.

He perches on an ant-heap

to play the reed flute

and to salute

the farmer’s children

going to school

and dreamily asks,

“O! Wise Sun above,

Will you ever guide

me into school?”