The Shepherd

[Gary Harding]

No worries Maureen, and thank you...
We go back for years ... and you are always more than welcome to do anything you like with my old scribblings. It is good fun!!
I am a big fan of your Very Popular ARP !
Cheers Gary

[Maureen K Clifford]

Thanks Gary and I value the trust you have shown to me - I know you are a bit gob smacked by the results this poem is getting on the ARP page, but for readers here who aren't perhaps familiar yet with the Australian Rhyming Poets page on FB https://www.facebook.com/AustralianRhymingPoets/
I am delighted to say that keeping up with the views and comments is wearing my fingers to the bone In the 2 days since I posted it online it has now been shared 254 times, received 188 comments and been actively engaged with by 1.3k readers ....in thepoetry game that is going'viral' and the numbers are still growing.

Not bad for your amateurish little write eh!

[Gary Harding]

That is remarkable Maureen; you were absolutely Right. .. and I was reluctant to even post this poem initially.

The final reach numbers as you would know are around 3,100 people liking, 406 comments and 583 shares of this poem on Australian Rhyming Poets / Facebook. It is totally overwhelming. I cannot believe it.
It really seems to have brought true Joy to a lot of readers!!..and a few tears of emotion too, judging by the comments.. and that is pleasing.

Joy .. and Pleasure too.

I believe that because the poem speaks directly to the Reader, it sort of "really pulls you in and holds attention" as Catherine said, and so it can rapidly get into one's mind.

I do regret and apologise for using the dreadful term "amateurish", and will refrain from attempting to assess my own poetry from here on.

Also I hope it has assisted the ARP to reinforce the power of bush ballads to move a Reader. A good exercise overall.
Yes, you were definitely right... absolutely. Many thanks! Gary

[r.magnay]

Gday Gary,
not too sure why I haven't read this one before, I don't get on here all that often but I am glad I found it, looks pretty good to me.

[Gary Harding]

Thanks Ross.. this poem goes back ages and took a bit of rework to bring it up to scratch. All the appreciation received for it including yours (and thanks to Maureen's determination) made the time most worthwhile and fun too. Cheers, Gary