Heat and steamy breath from big-eyed young calves crammed into the stone outhouse, sentient, persistent in this old loft of a head. Light-shafts land in, push through window slats, striking backbones, rumps, a startled gaze. Amongst them, in the press of bellies and ribs, each head braced by another’s rump, pushed across withers, me, Minotaur in reverse, wading chest-deep in a tide of spine and hide Smells cling: dusty hay in the manger, nervy spasm of body-warm piss and skitter....
