Thursday, June 28, 2012

For You OTTB Followers

Over on my poetry site (link at the bottom of my blog page), I often write from prompts.  Its fun and a good way for me to try new forms, focus and words.  One of the prompts I follow regularly is called the Sunday Wordle.  The blog posts 12 words and then you write a poem using all the words.  You post your poems on a linky so you can see what everyone else did with the words.  I have a lot of fun with this.  This week, I looked at the words and an OTTB showed up.  If you are interested in what others did with the words, here is the link.

The words this week were: scrap, trapped, ample, domain, window, jasmine, montage, sunset, flawed, granite, demons, and whistle.


Re-Purposed


Her name was Jasmine
but her mouth
was hard as granite.

She grabbed the bit
and ran like demons
were on her tail.

Her domain was the racetrack
until she was tossed aside,
a flawed, unwanted scrap of horse.

I taught her to waltz
to a music montage;
to swing with Shubert and Chopin.

She hated feeling trapped
so I left a window open
in the release of the reins.

When I whistle across glowing grass
and clover, she gallops to me;
the sunset shining in her mane.

My very first horse, that was mine and not borrowed or rented, was an OTTB.  Sadly, we were not a good fit but he went on to be a nice jumper for someone else.  Dressage was not his thing.  At all.  And I was far too inexperienced at that time to deal with his race track fears.  I read quite a few blogs with owners who have done wonderful things with their OTTBs.  Some do dressage, some jumping, some eventing, some a mix.  I am constantly impressed by the work, confidence and patience required and given by these women.  My hat's off to you!  And this poem was meant to celebrate what you do.  I love rescued animals the best; be they horses, donkeys or dogs.  

5 comments:

  1. Awww, I love this so much I'm going to link to it! Lovely writing. I've missed reading you! Off to do just that-Gorgeous picture of you and that beautiful spotted horse of yours:)

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  2. Love the poem but really love the intention of the title. :) In my dog world, racing greyhounds fit that mix (I don't have those) as do puppy mill dogs (do have one of those).

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  3. Tried to post a comment earlier so sorry if you're getting two of them:) Just wanted to say I loved that poem-what a great piece of writing. Linking immediately! You and your Winston look amazing:)

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  4. I really enjoyed the poem. And I'm with you - rescues are the best.

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Thanks so much for commenting!