The Black-Faced Sheep

The Black-Faced Sheep

by Donald Hall

Ruminant pillows! Gregarious soft boulders!

If one of you found a gap in a stone wall,
the rest of you—rams, ewes, bucks, wethers, lambs;
mothers and daughters, old grandfather-father,
cousins and aunts, small bleating sons—
followed onward, stupid
as sheep, wherever
your leader’s sheep-brain wandered to.

My grandfather spent all day searching the valley
and edges of Ragged Mountain,
calling “Ke-day!” as if he brought you salt,
“Ke-day! Ke-day!”

When the shirt wore out, and darns in the woolen
shirt needed darning,
a woman in a white collar
cut the shirt into strips and braided it,
as she braided her hair every morning.

In a hundred years
the knees of her great-granddaughter
crawled on a rug made from the wool of sheep
whose bones were mud,
like the bones of the woman, who stares
from an oval in the parlor.

I forked the brambly hay down to you
in nineteen-fifty. I delved my hands deep
in the winter grass of your hair.

When the shearer cut to your nakedness in April
and you dropped black eyes in shame,
hiding in barnyard corners, unable to hide,
I brought grain to raise your spirits,
and ten thousand years
wound us through pasture and hayfield together,
threads of us woven
together, three hundred generations
from Africa’s hills to New Hampshire’s.

You were not shrewd like the pig.
You were not strong like the horse.
You were not brave like the rooster.

Yet none of the others looked like a lump of granite
that grew hair,
and none of the others
carried white fleece as soft as dandelion seed
around a black face,
and none of them sang such a flat and sociable song.

Now the black-faced sheep have wandered and will not return,
even if I should search the valleys
and call “Ke-day!,” as if I brought them salt.
Now the railroad draws
a line of rust through the valley. Birch, pine, and maple
lean from cellarholes
and cover the dead pastures of Ragged Mountain
except where machines make snow
and cables pull money up hill, to slide back down.

At South Danbury Church twelve of us sit—
cousins and aunts, sons—
where the great-grandfathers of the forty-acre farms
filled every pew.
I look out the window at summer places,
at Boston lawyers’ houses
with swimming pools cunningly added to cowsheds,
and we read an old poem aloud, about Israel’s sheep,
old lumps of wool, and we read

that the rich farmer, though he names his farm for himself,
takes nothing into his grave;
that even if people praise us, because we are successful,
we will go under the ground
to meet our ancestors collected there in the darkness;
that we are all of us sheep, and death is our shepherd,
and we die as the animals die.

Summary of The Black-Faced Sheep

• Understanding “The Black-Faced Sheep”: This deeply evocative poem by Donald Hall explores themes of time, loss, and the cyclical nature of life and death. It intertwines memories of a rural past with a lament for a disappearing way of life. The poem centers around the image of black-faced sheep, representing both a specific pastoral tradition and a broader metaphor for humanity’s journey.
• Central Idea: The poem’s core explores the inevitable passage of time, the loss of connection to the land, and the ultimate fate that awaits all living things, a return to the earth. Hall skillfully contrasts the enduring presence of the landscape with the transient lives of those who inhabit it, highlighting the contrast between a simple, agrarian past and a rapidly changing present. The sheep, initially symbols of a thriving farm life, ultimately wander away, reflecting the loss of this traditional existence.
• Noteworthy Knowledge: “The Black‑Faced Sheep” is notable for its rich imagery, lyrical language, and its ability to evoke a strong sense of place. It’s a poem rooted in Hall’s own New Hampshire upbringing and reflects a deep connection to the land and its history. The poem also utilizes the motif of the shepherd, extending it beyond the literal caretaker of sheep to represent death itself, guiding all toward their final destination.

Analysis of Literary Devices Used in The Black-Faced Sheep

Donald Hall masterfully employs a range of literary and poetic devices to create a resonant and thought-provoking poem. These techniques enhance the poem’s emotional impact and deepen its meaning. Let’s explore some of the key devices used in “The Black-Faced Sheep.”

1. Assonance: Assonance, the repetition of vowel sounds within words, is subtly woven throughout the poem, creating a musical quality and emphasizing certain words. For example, consider the repetition of the short “e” sound in “Ke‑day!” and “dead,” connecting the act of calling the sheep with the inevitability of death.
2. Alliteration: Alliteration, the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words, adds to the poem’s sonic texture. Observe the recurrence of the “s” sound in phrases like “soft boulders” and “sheep sang,” creating a sense of fluidity and emphasizing the pastoral setting.
3. Anaphora: Although not a dominant device, the poem subtly uses anaphora—the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses—to create emphasis. While not a strict example, the echoing of phrases related to time and loss subtly emphasizes the cyclical nature of life.

“You were not shrewd like the pig.
You were not strong like the horse.
You were not brave like the rooster.”

4. Enjambment: Enjambment, the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next without punctuation, is a key feature of Hall’s style. This creates a sense of momentum and mimics the flow of time. For example:

   “Yet none of the others looked like a lump of granite
   that grew hair.”

   The enjambment draws the reader forward, mirroring the relentless passage of time.

5. Imagery: The poem is rich in vivid imagery, appealing to all the senses. Hall uses concrete details—like “Ruminant pillows! Gregarious soft boulders!” and descriptions of the landscape—to create a strong sense of place and evoke emotional responses.
6. Metaphor: Hall employs metaphor to create deeper meaning. The black-faced sheep themselves are a central metaphor, representing not just animals but also humanity, tradition, and the pastoral way of life.
7. Simile: The poem uses simile to draw comparisons and create striking images. For example, “White fleece as soft as dandelion seed,” creates a vivid and delicate image, emphasizing the sheep’s gentle nature.

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in The Black-Faced Sheep

Beyond literary devices, Hall utilizes several poetic techniques to enhance the poem’s emotional resonance and create a unique stylistic effect.

1. Free Verse: “The Black-Faced Sheep” is written in free verse, meaning it does not adhere to a strict rhyme scheme or metrical pattern. This allows Hall to create a natural, conversational tone and emphasize the poem’s content over its form.
2. Stanza Structure: The poem is divided into sections, each consisting of varying lengths of stanzas. This structure allows Hall to shift focus and explore different aspects of the poem’s themes, creating a dynamic and engaging reading experience.
3. Symbolism: Symbolism is pervasive throughout the poem. The sheep, the landscape, the farm, and even the act of calling “Ke‑day!” all carry symbolic weight, representing broader themes of loss, memory, and the cyclical nature of life.

Quotes to be Used

The lines stated below are particularly resonant and can be used to emphasize the poem’s themes.

“that the rich farmer, though he names his farm for himself,
takes nothing into his grave;
that even if people praise us, because we are successful,
we will go under the ground
to meet our ancestors collected there in the darkness;
that we are all of us sheep, and death is our shepherd,
and we die as the animals die.”

This powerful closing stanza encapsulates the poem’s core message, that all living things, like sheep, are ultimately guided toward death, returning to the earth from whence they came.