Today's poem is by karla k. morton

In the Horse Stall
       

That white blaze of moon
fearlessly cantered the sky
as we mucked the stalls,

bandannas across our noses,
our mouths;
good work, honest work.

But the horses felt our sorrow,
watched the ripple of muscle
down our backs;
the way we heaved faster
when the pain hit.

There was one that came up to you,
and put the long of her face
against your chest

as if a quake was coming;
as if the crescent of your heart
was trembling.

I remembered
how you leaned your forehead
against her star;
how you lifted both hands
to her neck;
how soundlessly the shovel fell away.

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Copyright © 2024 karla k. morton All rights reserved
from The Southern Review
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission