never understood it, separating sheep from goats,
why would goats hang out with sheep,
nanny and billy butting each other and bleating
eating cans and laundry, having a good time

and those big soft bodies drifting around
together in a cloud, baa-ing softly,
following their leader? who would join them
from the happy, horned goats?

and yet now I see on YouTube
a goat and sheep, obviously in love,
leaning against each other's furry body.
their kid, I read, will be known as a geep.

he won’t know whether to butt or follow you.
he will eat underwear and grass and plastic.
at the end of the world, he will stand confused,
not knowing whether to go up or down.

© by Janet McCann.
Used with the author’s permission.