Shepherding the Soul

The passionate shepherds
Their love for their flocks
Solitary males
Peasant’s younger sons without inheritance
Being paid to watch the sheep of others
Largely nomadic, allowing the sheep to graze
Shepherding in the lowlands and river valleys
Herding livestock around open areas of land
Watching over their flocks, a duty to guide
Aware of the availability of water and pasture
Traveling according to seasons
Moving on to greener pastures before the sun sets
Holding a humble perspective toward nature      
Living a pastoral lifestyle
Self-reliance on daydreams and solitude  
In boredom picking at the grass in the peaceful countryside
Keeping their flocks intact, protecting them from predators
A time for shearing, a time to market
These are the things of poets and painters