On Saturday 10th November, a much loved friend died.
Posted: November 12, 2012 Filed under: Photo, Poem | Tags: Matilda 10 Comments
Matilda
A PONY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS
No need now to leopard crawl around the kitchen
Whilst making breakfast tea
Trying to avoid your scrutiny and strident summons
No longer the ritual of twice daily feeds
The sweet smell of pony nuts and alfalfa
The dusty musk of hay
The quickening clip up the field as you hurried for your commons
The chopping of bulk bought carrots
No more satisfying your imperious demands and needs.
No need now to stifle the taste of medicines
In a black treacle sugar bomb
No call for grooming, for brush, for curry comb.
Who will keep the pheasant company now?
How will magpies gather horse hair for the nest?
Gone, the gentle push of mossy muzzle,
The warm whickers at the gate
The chance to chat to you in your shelter
To even practice salsa dance steps (to your surprise)
To witness sunset, sunrise
And the twilight thrills of these star dark skies.
Gone the fearsome rat stamping hooves
The pony roll amongst spring grass and orchids
The occasional frantic field wide gallop
One eye always on the 5 bar gate
Ever ready for escape.
Yesterday, I found you mounded
Fallen, your body a still living boulder
But collapsed on the brackened, brambled floor.
Blanketed, soothed, then sedated,
I stroked your face as you nickered
Panicked, wheezed and rattled
Then calmed, relaxed, got settled.
The vet came, and sent you peace – ward
And now, we’ll go a waltzing with Matilda
No more.
