John Tams
From Where I Lie/Sheepcounting
From where I lie
The sheep can safely graze
The farm breasts through the haze
And all is still

From where I lie
A magpie skirts the vale
Reminder now of this o'er-deepening dale
And all is still

From where I lie
Where paper pours through doors
Where bureaucratic laws deny what's yours
And all is still

From where I lie
Where rushing water scores
Where bankers close their doors
And all is still

From where I lie
This shotgun is my friend
A single not uncommon end
And all is still

From where I lie
I take a cartridge new
And on it scratch some words for you
And all is still
Sleep my pretty one sleep
Lay down in your lambskin
Now lay you down deep
And I'll fold you in woolsey
Down-soft don't you weep my lamb
Sleep my pretty one, sleep

One ewe tomorrow true
Two ewes aplenty
Three oh how happy we
Four nearly gentry
Five how we favoured be
Six trust to glory
And seven the world is right
Eight tells the story
Nine we may prosper true
Ten we can start anew

Sleep my pretty one sleep
Lay down in your lambskin
Now lay you down deep
And I'll fold you in woolsey
Down-soft don't you weep my lamb
Sleep my pretty one
Sleep my pretty one
Sleep
And all, and all is still