Gentle flakes of snow covered standing sheep
Westerly winds howled through their keep
Shearers in bunkhouse readied for the day
Smell of lanolin drifted their way
Shearing is one of the hardest jobs for man
The weight of fleece curling into hand
Belly-bands help men's backs
Sheep bawling under shearer's attacks
Tar boy wanders the wooden butts
Ready with bucket to stop the cuts
Boy sweeping wool fluff from the men
Out the shute again and again
Feeling sorry for sheep shorn
Freezing weather before dawn
Top gun shearer took the bet
How many sheep he could get
Last score it was said, freaks
He shorn 1400 in two weeks
Throwing fleece on table top
Combing, weighing for the shop
Way back in 1800's Australia wealthy
Meat was cheap, lamb and beef healthy
Today nothing can beat the shearer fine
Shear a sheep for a dime
Too expensive to buy for middle man
Supermarkets win out with overseas lamb
Top gun shearer, ribbons abound
Sitting in his favorite chair, covered in down
Our best wool goes overseas, scary prices
Imitation wool; we must buy China's slices
Australia has toppled from the best
Down hill falling, sheep are almost worthless
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Author Notes
Australia (it was said, was built on the sheep's back) lamb chops were four pence a pound. Today, if you want four chops it will cost you $18! Sheep and cattle are on the wane.
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