Told to fear the dark, my tiny legs bolted
the breathless distance from the milking barn
across to the house, a yard-light pale enough
to cause more fear than relief. Over my
shoulder, the panicked movement of my own
shadow, distorted by monsters on my heels,
their yellow triangle teeth snarled below
blood-red eyes. Slam the screen door, safe
inside, only to know they’d be waiting, certain
death in the attic crawlspace next to my bed.
Just now finished with the night feed, strolling
out on this moonless prairie to close my farm
gate, worn house-slippers on tired feet, weaving
my path from the barn around behind the
outbuilding, nodding to elderly monsters who
loiter by the fence line, taking in the night air.
…
Anna Blake at Infinity Farm
Horse Advocate, Author, Clinician, Equine ProBlog/FB/Email/Author/FB/Tweet/Amazon
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Perspective. 🙂
Sometimes it sneaks up…
You are so fun.
The monsters agree, Deb. Thanks!
I so love this. and I doubly love that you went there.
Thanks, Sandy. I’ll go anywhere…
Ah how age changes our perspective of our world, love it!
Thanks, Tamara.
This is a wonderful poem. I live north of San Francisco. A local poet publishes a different poem every day on email and FB. I’d love to send this to him: [email protected] . [email protected] . What do you think? Diane Darling
>
Thank you, Diane. Please do send it!
Kind of reassuring to think of those old monsters as senior citizens, isnt it? Yeah, change of perspective, indeed!
Teehee, thanks, Maggie.
Very comforting to know the monsters are moving slower now as well.
It’s something….(thanks, Valery)
And I thought I was the only one who felt them *right behind me* traveling faster than my top speed…
well, not so much any more, but yes…
love this. reminds me of my childhood dash from the house to the outdoor toilet. admittedly a short distance but far enough for anyone to shoot me as i crossed 🙂
Thanks, Chris. I forgot that, when they were in the dark unneath…
In the dark under the bed. Because they always stayed in the dark, a giant leap safely into the bed, so they couldn’t reach my legs, and a light on in the hallway of the house. Now there is a wee dog who would let me know if a monster was lurking, so I am not afraid. But do we ride out in the moonlight? The horses seem less afraid and more focussed, the youngsters travel better in the dark.
Thanks Anna, for the memories.
Thanks for sharing, Louise.
I love the visual of this! My childhood monsters were crocodiles under the bed, but once my parents got me my dog when I was five, she kept them at bay as long as I jumped to the bed from about 3 feet away.
Yikes. And bless all life-saving dogs. Thanks.
Thank you for that.
You’re welcome, Katherine.
Safety in numbers…let’s all huddle together!
Teehee. Thanks, Lynell.
I loved this, especially the elderly monsters taking in the night air!
Teehee! Thank you, Varada.