Things only appear to be things.have the following note:
A barn is not called a barn, to put it more plainly,
Or a field in the distance, where sheep may
be safely grazing1[42-44]
1 Sheep ... grazing An allusion to the Christmas anthem "Sheep May Safely Graze," by J.S. Bach.I never made that connection, before. The Bach piece in question is "Schafe können sicher weiden" (I'm sure you know):[p. 569]
The aria, translated from the German:
Sheep may safely graze
Where a good shepherd keeps watch.
Where rulers govern well,
One can sense both peace and calm
And all that makes a land content.
