Sunday, June 29, 2014

At Five



At Five 

she had left on bare feet
reaching up for the single
key above the door meant
to keep her in and walking
out in the weak light across
the dry weed strewn grass
Phase One complete -
scratches on soft ankles
all the way to the cracked
board in back of the barn,
wiggling through,
breath catching,
almost stuck,
then through
Phase Two complete -
inhaling each soft velvet scent
of manure, grain, horse breath
in the stall of Player, slipping
in as he shook his heavy drops
of him wetting her cheeks his
eyes meeting hers – his level,
calm, with just a sparkle of
glint of open green fields and
their ride away from that gray
house to a golden horizon arc -
for now, she sat in the corner
of the stall below where the
feedbag would attach and he
would with gentle snuffling
eat, and she would be found
and dragged by an arm or a
leg back to that house smiling
on this five year old birthday
Phase Three Complete the
scent of hay and him and the
future clinging to her
like her future babies
no matter what





9 comments:

  1. What a beautiful tale of childhood love for her farm friend where the actions and scents came through so clearly in the writing.

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  2. I love the use of the word phase..and the title..somethings need to be determined early..

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  3. "no matter what"

    Wonderful portrait of a Very Determined Child!

    Seeking One Ripe Plum

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  4. That is so sweet. Oh the innocence of youth!

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  5. i am sure your horse was happy to see you,
    but i bet you might get in a little trouble here in a bit.

    ha

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  6. A magical childhood with a horse for a best friend!

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  7. Love her portrait, particularly:
    and the
    future clinging to her
    like her future babies
    no matter what
    Dear pearl -- you are so good with little girls...

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  8. Oh for that time when going out would be a great adventure.. Love that walk to the stable particularly...

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