ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Exhilaration pulses through my body as I run.
My muscles burn, I fight to suck in air.
I’m slave to every nuance of the whip and twitching rein
I’ll win this race as fitting for an heir.

My sire was Deep Adios from Adios before,
the latter a great champion in his day.
With multiple world championships he passed his genes to me
I too won many trophies on the way.

I lift my knees and prick my ears, another horse is close
I stretch my neck and regulate my pace.
His driver lifts the whip, I see it tear and scald and sear,
epitomising panic in the chase.

With a manic, mocking laugh the driver brings his sulky close,
I feel the horse’s ragged, rasping breath.
There’s terror in her eyes and in the tossing of her head
She’ll be next to face a cruel, exhausted death.

But, win at every cost the incantation of some men,
responsible for many bleaching bones.
Then when they lose they strive to drown their sorrows in their drink
And lament that he’s lost everything he owns.

My drivers have been gentle and respectful of my gift,
my final race is imminently due.
I’ll wear the velvet shoes of softest grass beneath my feet,
no stench of stall but scent of morning dew.

Good one, Wendy!

Personification of animals or objects is one of my favourite poetic techniques, and you have really painted the picture through the eyes of the horse.

Cheers
Shelley

Love it Wendy - that certainly came from left field but a wonderful use made of the prompts . Well done