Gervase Phinn

From the classroom rolled the great expanse of the Dale.
The sad child in the corner stared out like a rabbit in a trap.
“He has special needs,” explained the teacher, in a hushed, maternal voice.
“Real problems with his reading, and his number work is weak. Spelling non-existent, writing poor. He rarely speaks. He’s one of the less able in school.”

The lad could not describe the beauty that surrounded him,
the soft green dale and craggy hills.
He could not spell the names
Of those mysterious places which he knew so well.
But he could tickle a trout, ride a horse,
Repair a fence and dig a dyke,
Drive a tractor, plough a field,
Milk a cow and lamb a ewe,
Name a bird by a faded feather,
Smell the seasons and predict the weather.
Yes, that less able child could do all those things.

-Gervase Phinn,
The other side of the dales