Wild Horses
Wild Horses
I leaned over your desk,
left a paperweight snow globe—
in it a floating message that everything
changes—hoping you’d see
that meant that everything could
circle our track around to finish at home.
After hard training came roads—
Kentucky winter paved with your name,
I fell into your sea to see vistas looking for spring.
But no one rings the phones
today—only the sound of bosses
sounding the interoffice messaging apps
on the MacOffice computer
reminding to pick up only memories,
pick up notebooks, pens, and papers—
I’m tired of writing about you.
I’m tired of talking circles about you.
I was tired of the amorous love faces you would make.
It is every night I want to unbutton
your blouse and my Levi’s jeans—to take a bite
of your mouth—without disturbing your personal affairs:
rip the bit out of your mouth,
lay the saddle in the dirt, and pretend
for a happy marriage for seven whooping hours.
I don’t know. Will you’ll find me
acceptable?—We’ll write a contract
over Eggs Benedict—I’ll cook—then a fiery look
will come over your auburn eyes,
almost angry, where you’ll kick me in the teeth
saying, “Nice plan, but I’m everyone you’ve ever had.”
12 thoughts on "Wild Horses"
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This line got me hard.
“We’ll write a contract
over Eggs Benedict—I’ll cook—”
Many a contract has been written over Benedict and Marys.
I like it. Really like the metaphor and the shape is perfect.
This one has evolved. But it has never lost an ambiguous and edgy tone. It makes me uncomfortable to read it.
Wow, Manny, that’s an incredible last line. This is a great poem.
Thank you BV – She could be saying “I”m nothing special, I don’t know what you see in me.” Or she could be saying, “I’m no one to you because I’m one of many.” It’s anyone’s guess. I rebel like the Dickens against the trope that perception is reality – because I think Descartes was full of shit. We’re all full of shit Bill. Wounding each other.
really covers a lot of ground.
keeps the eye wondering-
what’s next/how’s the story end..
it screws with you doesn’t it?
You’re working through some fundamental stuff here, Manny. So impressed that you’re beginning to descend on what you’ve been circling these past few years. Keep going please.
Btw I love the internal rhymes—spring/ring, cook/look. Hope you do more of this.
Wow this is what good poetry
does, puts the reader right there.
I’m guilty as charged.
Such a great and honest poem! I love the turn when you switch to the forthright statement, “I’m tired of writing about you.”
A “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride” of a poem! The bit and saddle especially threw me but also made me want to read and understand more.
I don’t know what to call that light. This poem is about suffering, desperation, meaningless acts in the light of stable light and pink lanterns, transactional relationships, complete dread. All couched in the act of something approaching sadomasochism bordering on delight.
Love the horse language thrown in this poem as metaphors – circle our track around to finish at home.