Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Stable Ground


Somewhere between
Eight and nine
It hit
My heart swelled
With it
And anything
Equine
Had to, HaD To,
HAD TO
Be mine
Six years later
Finally
Heard that nicker
Just for me
And was never able
To stray from
The stable
In overalls
We
Cleaned stalls
Cleaned leather
Learned how to tie a
Tether
Brushed our horses
Raced in the pasture
Or just laid like sacks
Across those broad
Sun-warmed backs
And became one
With our obsession
Years (many)
Later, my heart
Still stirs at a soft
Nicker
For me, heaven will be
Filled with hay and a whinny


This posted for the prompt at Poetic Bloomings where they ask us to write about our favorite hang-outs when we were growing up. For me that was the stable—loved horses then, love them now—some things never change. We lived there, loving every scent, chore and of course the horses. Heaven. Also, for Tash and all the wonderful poets at Open Link Night—might not be typical Halloween fare, but horses did and always will bewitch me :-) dversepoets.com and this is a stretch, however, this horse-filled life was definitely a choice that overrode pretty much every other extracurricular activity in my teen years, and one that I'm forever thankful to have had--for the prompt “choices” at Poetryjaam.blogspot.com

40 comments:

  1. Hey, that's great so I can revel in your horse days. I love horses too and wished for one my whole life, you know blow out the candles wanting a horse every year. Great poem, glad you had all the fun filled and shared times!gardenlilie.com

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    1. Thank you for the visit! That is a great image, blowing out the candles wanting a horse.

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    1. Hi GS!! You are so right :-) Thank you for stopping by

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  3. This was fun to hear. I have a good friend that's really into horse, has six or seven and he lives there at the farm where they're housed at and he told me a story similar, in how he went when he was young and got hooked. Thanks for the share.

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    1. Hi Fred!! Great to see you--thank you for that wonderful story, I'm glad that your friend still is able to keep his horses. I had to give mine up when I went to school.

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  4. smiles....we have stables nearby...i love to go and watch them...and last year my son took riding lessons there as well....was on horseback a bit this summer as well....horses are such magnificent creatures...

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    1. Hi Brian!! They are amazing, when I ride it takes me back, a teenager in my favorite place :-)

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  5. Sara, I love the word "nicker" - you use it so lovingly and playfully. This one is a beautiful postcard to a favorite place (physical and spiritual). Delightful.

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    1. Hi Andrew!! So wonderful to see you :-) A nicker is the best--thank you very much :-)

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  6. I love that 'heaven will always be filled with hay and a whinny.' I am glad you were able to live your dream. I always wanted a horse too when I was a kid, read horse books constantly, but living in the city and not close to stables the love was just in dreams.

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    1. Hi Mary!! It does seem to be a universal wish among young girls. It was a really unusual circumstance that let me live that dream for awhile. A memory I really treasure.

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    2. You were VERY lucky indeed! I remember when I was a kid that the neighborhood kids and I played that we were horses and used to gallop around. LOL.

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  7. Sweet memories... my husband was the same way. We still have his saddles.

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    1. Laurie, you made me laugh--didn't know any guys who got bit--To this day have to squelch that blurt "horsey!" when I see one from the car (such a nerd...) :-)

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  8. Definitely a choice. Good write to so many prompts! It does seem many teen girls get the horse bug--and yes, it can last a lifetime!

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    1. Hi Peggy!! So nice to see you--thank you for supporting my choice, and enjoying the write!

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  9. Wonderful read Sara, grew up around horses being a southern boy it was some fun but mostly working... enjoyed the read

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    1. Hi Tatius!! Thank you very much for the visit--it is a lot of work, but when you are so in love with them, it is just part of the happy gig, I enjoyed every moment, mucking stalls, cleaning feet, oiling tack...(Yes it is a sickness...) :-)

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  10. sigh...I love them too. My grandparents owned horses when I was little--the one I considered mine was named "Thistle"...you have stirred up a longing with this write.

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    1. Hi Jennifer!! Through comments, I'm seeing that you and I share a lot of the same interests :-) I love that name "Thistle" so cute! Did he come when you whistled? Longing is the perfect name for that feeling...

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  11. I so love this, especially that heaven will be "filled with hay and a whinny". Lovely. It is a great obsession to have, especially for girls, to get them through their most vulnerable years. I love our horse's nicker, too.......she knows I always come with carrots and apples.......

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    1. Sherry!! Yay, my favorite interviewer :-)
      It was such a blessing to have my horse when I was in my teens--my boyfriends were jealous, because my horse always was my priority! Didn't realize then what a great thing that was. Probably kept me out of trouble...
      I live vicariously now, with my neighbor's horse--I bring her apples and carrots too, a nicker is such a great reward :-)

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  12. Have you ever read Margaret Bednar She is horse crazy too. She has one or two of her own but, loves them to bits like you. You may enjoy her blog and great pics.
    Loved this :)

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    1. Brenda!! Thank you so much, I have seen her blog and I knew her name was Barbara--what a mind-reader you are :-) and horse crazy is what it is, for sure...

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    2. Well, I thought I knew her name *blush* thank you again :-)

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  13. Oh, Sara!
    I had a horse from ages 13-16, and this rings so true.

    "heaven will be
    Filled with hay and a whinny"

    Oh, how I hope so.

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    1. De! Yet another thing that we have in common! I had my horse from the ages of 14-17--wasn't the scent of hay the best?!! :-)

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  14. I always wanted a horse. I'm jealous.

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    1. I don't blame you. If I ran the world every little (or big) girl that wanted a horse would get one! :-)

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  15. Oh I DO love this and really connect to it. I was a "jump on their back" and just go type of rider too. I am sure I probably pulled on my horses mouth way too much, but he was the best and so was my pony. Thanks for sending me this way!

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    1. Hi Margaret!! Thank you so much for stopping in to share stories :-) I used a hackamore because my first horse was an ex-racehorse and his mouth was already tough. But he was the best.

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  16. Such a lovely memory specially these lines:

    For me, heaven will be
    Filled with hay and a whinny

    Thanks for sharing ~

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    1. Hi Grace!! It's funny,wasn't sure about those two line's, but everyone seems to like them:-) thank you for your thoughtful words

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  17. nice..i always wanted to have a horse when i was a kid (like every girl i guess...smiles) but somehow it was never possible.. can feel your heart in this and love the title...stable ground..great wordplay..

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    1. Hi Claudia!! Yes I think almost every little girl wants a horse-glad you enjoyed the title it took me awhile to come up with that:-)

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  18. My granddaughter rides .. I've been fortunate to watch her ride, compete many times. Love how you used the word 'clean' instead of 'muck' when it comes to maintaining the stalls.

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    1. Hi Helen!! What a joy to watch your granddaughter. I love that image. Yes, back then it was almost a competition among us at the stable who had the cleanest stall. We'd also sit in the stall just to hang out with our horses or each other so, it had to be "clean" :-) good catch!

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  19. I love riding but have not had the chance for years. I rode when I had a daughter that wanted to learn so we took classes together...Great fun. Other then that it was just trail rides as my family camped in the summer. The memory and fun with horses still lingers in the part of my mind that stores favorite times.

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  20. Such a sweet poem! I especially loved those last two lines.

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Your words are wonderful! Thanks for popping in--I'll be over in a snap!