Did he want to be invisible? As still
as wood, his head holds solitude in
the corner. This bay gelding does not
have a lightning bolt blaze on his face
or tall white stockings that pull my eye.
His coat the color of honey in tea, his
mane and tail a shade darker. He is
elegance in understatement. Close enough
to touch, I’m greedy to feel his warmth, to
run my fingers though the texture of his
mane. But I stand away. His body is not
mine. My eye travels the flawless arc from
his back, along his neck, slowing at his poll,
he’s aware of all that I want. Gazing finally
on his eye, cautiously on guard. So still,
so unmoving, and so exquisitely profound in
his silence, that I exhale my jangling desire
to show him courtesy. Let the air hang in
peace. I will wait for the acknowledgment
that is his to give, not mine to take.
….
Anna Blake at Infinity Farm
Horse Advocate, Author, Speaker, Equine Pro
BlogFBEmailAuthorFBTweetAmazon
…
Check out our clinic schedule. 2018 is filling quickly; if you would like to host a clinic or attend one, please contact me here.
…
(WordPress Photo Challenge is a weekly prompt to share a photo–I enjoy twisting these macro prompts to share our micro life here on the Colorado prairie. I take these photos with my phone, on my farm. And then I write a poem. No psych, definitely not high-tech.)
Oh, you know how much I love this one. 🙂 I think your poems are like horses, they are all my favorites.
Thank you, Andrea… this gelding was just so unique. I can’t get him off my mind. He blossomed through the weekend and I was just knocked back by his quiet heart.
Yes! Love this!
Thank you.
Lovely. Your words capture that special quality of a bay.
Love the “plain brown wrapper.”
wow Anna…I’ve recently read your books ‘Relaxed Forward’ and ‘Barn Dance’. Both resonate perfectly how my barn where I board relates to horses. (how lucky am I to board at such a place!) Thus wanting more of your writing I signed up for your blog updates. Today’s post is my first one from you and this poem hits me in my heart. I’ve seen that look and those questions so many times in horses including my own. With my present mare it took six months of loving patience to prove myself to her and earn her respect and trust. Your poem reminded me of that journey and how far I’ve come with my mare. Thank you…looking forward to more. BTW I have always been a trail rider but a few years ago I discovered the joy of using ground work play with dressage roots. Now I understand the biomechanics and balance of horse movement in a much deeper sense.
If something is true, it should resonate across disciplines, so good for you. And welcome to the blog, you give me a huge smile. I’m thrilled to remind you of your good work! Thanks, Cathy.
Hi anna,
Is it appropriate to share your poem? I will make sure your name is included. It is so beautiful and thought provoking. Thanks,
Please do… I particularly love this one. Thanks, Karen.
So true. I am working with my boy right now. He is slowing coming along and now knows that I am here to help him. He used to pin his ears so far back with such a mean face that it had to hurt. He didn’t want to be touched. Just giving him his space and just talking to him made him uneasy. It has been two years now and he is so much better. We still have a ways to go but we have made a lot of progress.
Patience and kindness. Waiting for him to give me his eye and taking it slow does work……BUT there were times I just wanted to KILL him for his actions….but I knew that would be a major set back. Slow and steady wins the eye.
Truth. You are doing it the “fast” way, as slow as it goes. Good for you, Tina.
breathtakingly gorgeous words and kindness for such a beautiful creature. It is hard to stand back and simply love without needing to touch… The photo… that eye. Wow.
It’s much closer; it just doesn’t feel that way at first. Thanks, Joyce.
Lovely poem! I am so interested and challenged by your perspective as I have been reading on your blog. So different than the approach most of us learned growing up. Thank you!
Yup. Not what I learned growing up either. Horses teach this method, if we listen. Thanks for considering it, Leah.
Wow, such a lot of awareness in that eye.
Fully sentient they are… Thanks, Sherry
Such a beautiful poem Anna…so respectful of your new friend. I love your poetry and prose..they deserve our love,
our care.
I never saw myself as someone who would write love poems, but here I am. Thanks, Sharon.
This poem is so incredible – the suspense of what lingers between the words is achingly beautiful!!
I can ‘see’ & ‘feel’ through your elegant use of words – you have captured the fragility of what I imagine is a perfect description of love.
Thank you Anna…you are a truly a rare and special treat for those of us fortunate enough to read your poems ?.
Thank you, Kathleen. I’m kind of wild about this one, too.
We’ve recently begun fostering for the Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society in Texas (BEHS.org). I’m going put your words “wait for the acknowledgment that is his to give, not mine to take” on the wall of my barn.
Thank you for the reminders of our position in the lives of horses.
Thank you for fostering. I’ve always found it so rewarding.