ALL THE  PROUD YOUNG HORSES

Dedication - To Kexby & Jessop for the reminder and the inspiration


Pa will be 95 come St.Patrick's-
More time behind than ahead.
"Don't buy me no green bananas!" he says.
Spends alot of time with his memory-
"Best friend a man can have at my age."
"Never talks back -and remembers everthing the same as I do."
A lot of memories of a young man working on a farm-
A young man with a strong back, a stronger will, and a pair of matched horses.
I've heard it all before of course,
Pard - the plodding one - Joe - the mischievious one.
Partners - the three - Joe - Pard - Pa -
And when he talks of them he gets this look-
Pleasure and longing and loss combined-
Wistful I guess you'd call it.
But for the life of me I can't be sure what it is he misses more-
His youth or his horses.
I listen- that's the son's job- listen - and maybe nod on occasion.
I don't mind -enjoy it actually - familiar voice- familiar story.
Both silent sooner than I care to think on.
It's the least I owe him - it isn't easy, Lord knows,
A man bound to the earth having a dreaming poet for a son.
Truth be told- I think he understands the dreaming part - it's the poet part that confuses him.
But not me-
For I know, that if I were to suddenly glance up and see my reflection as I till words into verse-
I would have that same wistful look on my face as he does.
Genetics are a powerful thing.