Horse Crazy: Horse Poems & Photographs

8/8/2019 Horse Crazy: Horse Poems & Photographs

1/17

Horse Crazy

Horse Poems & Photos

Jane Gilgun

These poems and photos celebrate the beauty of horses andour relationship with them.

About the Author

Jane Gilgun has a life-long love of horses. Here she shareswhat they mean to her in words and pictures.


2/17

Contents

Sadie CummingsCastration ComplexEyesApple TreeSuite 1: NatureTo EllieFull Moon with HorsesSuite 3: RenewalMaxine Kumin Makes Me CryHeaven


3/17

Sadie Cummings

Shesnortedandpranced

whenherhoovestouchedthesand

andwereoff

withmeinatwo-point

andherinfullgallop

throughshallowwater

thespraysaltingmyface

thetwoofusinraucousrhythm.

Wewouldhavegoneonforever.

Therocksattheseawallforcedahalt.

Shediedatthetrack

putdownaftershebrokeherlegtrying.


4/17

Complex Castration

Itspossibletopullahorsesmuzzleout,

catchitonaloopofchainattachedtoapole,

turnuntiltheteethshow,

untilthehorsetwists,

untilthehorsefallstothefloor.

Thenitspossibleforthreestrongmen

toholdhishindlegs

whilethevetcutsthescrotum

andremovestheballs.

Itsalsopossiblethatthehorsewillfight

andthrashuntilthevetsays,

Loosenthechain.

Lethimup,boys,

whenthereisonemoreballleft

tocutout.

JohnBoyfoughtlikethat

forhisonelastball.

Untilhewastwo,Ineverknew

whethertocallhimastudoragelding.

Hehadthegeldingshabit

ofhanginghisshaftlooseasasausage,

buthehadthefireintheeyeofastallion.

Inhisthirdsummer,

Iwatchedhimteargrassclosetotheroots.

Helookedsocontent,

Ichewedsomegrassmyself.

Tommydidntseeme


5/17

ashewhackedJohnBoy

ontheloose-hangingpenis.

Iwonderedifthatwouldaffecthisfertility.

ThenIknewitdidntmatter.

Thevetwascomingfortheotherball.

ThistimeheknockedJohnoutwithashottohisneck,

recutthescrotum,

insertedblunt,serratedscissors

thatcrunchedastheycrushedthespermaticcord.Hereachedinandgrabbed.

Heheldthedrippingmasshighintheair,

thenthrewitinabasket

ofstrawandbrokenmanureballs.

Thebasketandballstayedtherefordays.

Acrustformed.

Then,aGermanShepherdwolfeditdown.Helickedhisteethandmuzzle.

Itseemedtohavebeenatastymorsel.


6/17

Eyes

Iseetheinsaneeyesofamadman.

Theyrestaring,wontstopstaringatme.

Icryinterror.

Thebeamsofthoseeyes

meltmelikewax.

Ifeeldistorted,

wanttogosomewheresafe.

Ishutmyeyes.

Theeyesarestillthere,staring,

theeyesofamadman.

Imstaringintotheeyesofahorse,

big,round,softeyes.

Iseemyfaceinthoseeyes.

Theyreflectmebacktomyself

likeafunhousemirror.

Myfaceislongandskinny,

myeyesdeeppoints,

mymouthshort,

lipsfat,

andImsmiling.

Thehorseisnotmad.


7/17

Apple Tree

Theappletreestoodnexttothestonewall

thatenclosedthefieldofthirtyacres

whereroamedandgrazedthirtyhorses

whodozedunderthetreeasashield

againstthehighsummersunsomuch

theyworeawaythegrassandcreateddust

inwhichtheyrolledtoscratchtheirbacks.

FromtheirbacksIcountedthemiles

byaddingthenumberoftimes

Ipassedthetree

onthequarter-miletrackaroundthefield.

Iwondernowifthetreeisstillthere,

thesunburningitsleavessilverinsummer

anditsapplesredinthefall.

Iwonderiftheapplesdropoffthetreeandmimicthehorsedroppings

ignoredastheapples

thatthehorsesneverate.

Iwonderifthebarkisstillroughanddark

ifthetreestillopensitsbranches

likeHerculesproclaimingjoyinhisstrength.

ifthosearmsthatembracetheskystillgivemeaplacetositandwatch

thirtyhorsesonthirtyacres

feeding,frolicking,

andscratchingtheirbacks.


8/17

Suite 1: Nature

I

Wewatcheachother,

threehorses,thefireflies,andme.

Thecricketspeep.

II

Abovetherosegraymare

slipstherosegraymoon.

Fireflieswink.Godseyes.


9/17

To Ellie

Whenyouspook

andIlandhardontheground

whenyoustopshortfromacanter

andIfallonyourneck

whenyouliftyourheadoutofreach

asItrimyourforelock

Letsrememberthetimeswhen

Ithinkleft

andyougothatway

whenIaskforacanter

andyougiveit

whenItouchyourbrow

andyouloweryourhead

whenwereinthewoods

andthesunlightdapplesthegreenleaves

asyoustepdaintilyoverawoodenbridge


10/17

Full Moon with Horses

Horsesinthemoonlightstillnightair

breathinggently

swishingtails.

Silence.

Theyletmebewiththem

onewiththem.


11/17

Suite 3: Renewal

I

The Gift

Shewalkstowardme

headbobbing

Sheeatstheapple

Ibroughther

Shewalkswithme

tothebarn

Shedoesnthaveto

II

Minnesota Spring

Thefirstrideofspring

afteraMinnesotawinter

plumtreesinbloom

pussywillowsbuddedout

anegretwadingininkyswampwater

Thefrogsmakesomuchnoise

wecanthearthesoundofthehorsesfeet


12/17

Horses

The horses did what horses do.

They munched hayand looked at me with big eyes.

Their ears stood uprightwhile I sat on the stall floor

next to a dead mousewishing you were here.


13/17

Maxine Kumin Makes Me Cry

Maxine,youmademecrytwice.

ThefirsttimewasatBreadLoaf

intheGreenMountainsofVermontthirtyyearsago

whenIwasasmart-mouthedsocialworker

bluffingmywayintothelandoftheliving

afterdescendingintohellwithmyclients.

Yourwordsknockedatthedoorsofmyheart,

thenblastedthemtobits

Iwasleftdazedanddisorientated,

wanderingovertheathleticfield

cryingoutthelongyearsofsorrow

leavingmenakedwiththebeautyaroundme,

thereallthewhile

Groundhogs,horses,beans,oldmen

pulverizedmeuntilIeruptedintosongandsorrow.Ihaventstoppedsingingorcryingsince.

ThesecondtimeIcriedonyouraccount

wastodaywhenIreadyourmemoir

ofyourhorse-drivingaccident.

Dudeboltedandthatwasnotallyouwrote

butcloseallthesame,

Dude,thesonofyourArabmare.

Youcamebacktolife

brokenintobits

heldinacagecalledahalo

thatactuallybefitshowyoufitinmylife,

thehalo,Imean,notthecage.

NoGodforyou,


14/17

butintothearmsoffamilyandstrangers,

beliefinbeansandbroccoli,

andIwasnotthere.

Iamnow,withyou,thatis,

asItackupFinn,thesonofmyownArabmare,

abrightredchestnutwithablaze

whoboltedintomeonce,knockedmedown,

butstoppedandshowedsorrowinhiseyes.

Idrivehimaroundthearenaonlonglines

andthinkofyouandDude.

Ifthereisaheaven,letitbe

ahorsebackrideinthespring

whentheplumtreesareinbloom

andthechirpsoftinyfrogshurtourears.


15/17

Heaven

Inheavenwerelivehappymemories

unhappymemoriesturninto

whatwewantedthemtobe

IamonthehillaboveDonegalBay

abouttodescendintoGrange

Thelightisgoldenandthecloudspuffy

Iamthelightandtheclouds

IwonderwhereIamandifthisisheaven

Myfatherkissesmeonthecheekandsays,

Iloveyou

Mymotherputsacoolhandonmyhotforehead

asIliesickinbed

Mygrandparentsdidnotdietwenty-fiveyearsbeforeIwasborn

InsteadIeatthecrustyItalianbread

mygrandfatherbakes

Iwalkwithmygrandmother

inhergardensasshetellsme

thenamesoftheflowers

Wecutabouquetformymother

IknowwhymygreatgrandparentsleftIreland

at54withtenchildrenages28toeight

andwhytheysoldthedairyfarminWoburn

anddidnothanditovertotheirsonsanddaughters


16/17

IcanterCricketonafreshlylaidblacktop

enjoyingthetracksshemakes

Amanyellsatmythoughtlessness

Freddiedoesnottouchmybreasts

butinsteadshowsmehowtocultivatestrawberries

Mysisterteachesmecheerleading

Mybrotherdoesnotmockme

BartydoesnotmovetoMinnesotabutstaysinRhodeIslandwherewegrowuptogether

marry,havechildren,livealovinglife

Docdoesnotsay,Dontcomeback,

whenItellhimIwanttostopworkingforhim

everyafternoonafterschool

Insteadhesays,Cometothefarmwhenyoucan.

Yourealwayswelcome.Iknowyouwant

topracticecheerleadingandtobewithyourfriends.

Edsmilesandsays,Iloveyou.Hetellsthetruth.

IwalkthegangwayintotheNewAmsterdam

withmymotherandAuntMinnie

Imonmyway

totheCatholicUniversityofLouvaininBelgium

Bertsays,Iloveyou.Iwanttobewithyou.Hedoes.

Jackdoesnotbecomeanalcoholic

butlivesalifeofmusic,math,andboating

Terryliveshisloveformeandnotthefear


17/17

ThewavesatNarragansettBeachrollin

ImgallopingSadieCummingsonthepackedsand

ThewavesofScarboroughBeachrollin

Imridingthem

Horse Crazy: Horse Poems & Photographs

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