After the Storm

I will ride Zora
Today
Feeling strong horse muscles
Warming my thighs
Until we ride
Like we are
Part of the wind
And sky.
She has brought
Me
Joy unfounded in this world
A nicker from the field
And the scent
Of warm hay on her breath.
She is my soul
Making me feel
That nothing else matters
She brings me soft lips
Nuzzling my hand
With a push
That brings me contact to her
With my mind
Until we are one being
Touching this earth
Our hearts melding
Becoming one energy
In a moment
Frozen in time.

Horse
Friendly, curious
Eating, galloping, searching
Always looking for carrots
Zora

Friend
Affectionate, intelligent
Rolling, flying, loving
Brown eyes radiating love
Koda

Father
Humerous, sad
Laughing, joking, grieving
Acting like Peter Pan
Dad

Companion
Loyal, grey
Sleeping, howling, loving
Friend to those leaving us
Eeyore

Friend
Affectionate, gentle
Leaning, loving, trusting
Old eyes behind gray mask
Eeyore

Jim
Tired, breathless
Dozing, waiting, weakening
Dying in his chair daily
Father

Father
Exhausted, faded
Gasping, praying, sighing
Worn out pair of Levi’s
Jim

I will ride
On bitter winds
A horse
I like to call my own
She is woolley and warm
Winter making
Us both shiver
In a moment of cold

She takes freezing
Bit
Touching my hand
With a muzzle of frozen
Whiskers
The faint scent of hay and oats
And candy mint
On her breath

She dips her head
To take a bridle
That will calm us both
I slide onto her back
Without a saddle

Both knowing
This is what we love best
For that moment
I am 8 again
Feeling the stocky body
Of a welsh pony
Who makes me feel
Like an Indian princess

Zora’s ears prick forward
Bringing me back
To now when I ride
Not her ghost
She gathers herself
For a mindless gallop
Where no roads will
Block our way
Or cars traveling too fast

A child in a blind rage
Pony who cannot stop in time
She is safe
My guide towards
No bitter memories
The chill scent of winter
Freezing our hairs
Until we melt
Like the last blue icicle