The Milk Cows Poem by Terry Dawson

The mombies bellow as the dawn draws near
And dust hangs low in the morning air.
And out to the east a franklin calls
As the workmen scrub the milking stalls.
And facing the dawn the milk cows await
As madhala opens the slide pole gate,
Then out of the kraal like beasts in a dream
Unbidden the milken ladies stream.
In the stable we hear the fall of blocks
When the cow's in place and the stanchion locks,
As the old girls with an eager zeal
Tuck into their repast of silage and meal.
To the rythemic click-clack of vacuum rails
The milk of the cows flows into the pales.
It's strained and it's chilled and it's stowed in churns
As the cows ruminate as the cud returns -
Into the mule cart, in soft morning light
The churns are hoisted and stowed away tight.
Down winding track the beasts and cart go
To the DMB in Bula-way-o.