Path of Bovine Mud

Lovely wide, quiet, green cultivated valley
behind Wenlock Edge:

bridle path runs alongside the cowshed –
heads out, eating from the trough;
soft mud of path begins to deepen
– blackness oozes greeney-yellow hues,
odours emerge,
seem to merge
with gases from the belching, munching gapes above.
Walking boots sink further than expected,
plough on, keeping upright, testing depth.
Gradually path become more stony,
with clear water running –
clean boots by paddling in the puddles;
Then pass edge of field with outdoor cattle
chomping at stacks, and gazing,
watching the passers by
picking through the path
as it reverts to sinky, stinky again
– not quite so bad,
though no clear stream afterwards
but some brownish pools
and plenty of dry tussocks to rub feet in

– there’s an outside tap at home!
(26/1/18)

The picture is of mud less bovine, less black, less deep!