The Good Shepherd

A Sestina

Beyond the field there lay a little lamb,
Who'd stumbled as she walked a path of stone.
And lay her body down beside a well
Whose water was too deep for her to drink.
She waited to be awakened by Love.
As she fell asleep and dreamed of fear.

In darkness long she slept alone in fear,
Who lay alone, this solitary lamb,
Untouched by grace and abandoned by love.
Her bed the ground, her pillow a hard stone,
Tears she wept that wet her lips with drink,
Though none was offered from the nearby well.

Alone she'd die beside the helpless well,
Surrounded only by shadow and fear.
With bleating throat she called aloud for drink,
Though none could hear the crying of this lamb,
Who'd stumbled as she walked a path of stone,
Though hoping that she would be found by Love.

But many miles across the valley, Love
Was tending to his flock beside the well
That he had built from ancient fathers' stone.
He did not know his lamb was lost in fear,
Who'd strayed far from the path, this lonely lamb,
In search of fresher water she could drink.

After all the flock had taken drink,
The shepherd touched each woolen head with love,
But worried when he did not see his lamb,
Who'd stumbled on the path beside the well,
Asleep beneath the stars, alone in fear,
Cradled in her lonely bed of stone.

He journeyed down the weary path of stone,
Taking neither food nor bed nor drink,
Undaunted neither by dark night nor fear,
He lit his way with glowing heart of love
To seek the lost one sleeping by deep well,
The lost and lonely, bleating, dreaming lamb.

He searched from stone to stone to find his lamb,
And when he found her, gave her drink from well,
Awakening her from fear in arms of love.