Cantering

Horses are bigger than you and me,
also more complex, in a way: Here,
for instance, two faces, two wills,
the man's will simple and direct,
urging the horse forward,

the horse's double, serving the man
and also, in some crafty, convoluted way
(disguised behind his huge slack-lipped passivity),
serving himself, doing what he does
(he persuades himself) because he wants to,

fooling us with sluggish servitude, yes,
you can see it plainly here, the whole
will of man driving half a horse the way
the other half is deciding it wants to go
anyway, but that's a secret!

Dean Blehert

Last Updated: October 6, 2002