Adam’s Albions – Philip Dunkerley

Adam’s Albions


Winter, but life on the farm goes on,
grass pared back to the roots, pickup truck,
another bale from autumn’s vital store,
pause, gate, through and into the field.

A rare breed galumphing after the vehicle,
the feed broken open, clumps of sweet hay,
hungry mouths, heads down, enough
for all, move, move, there, more.

Now stop and look back, look hard
so you remember how beautiful they are,
a father’s heritage, worth preserving,
to have and to hold, too valuable to lose.


Philip Dunkerley



(‘Adam’ refers to Adam Henson from the UK TV programme ‘Countryfile’)