FROM THE DUSTY MESA
HER LOOMING SHADOW GROWS
HIDDEN IN THE BRANCHES OF THE POISON CREOSOTE
She was grumpy.
Her mother, bless her heart, was such a loving, doting, protective mother. Her mother was everything a daughter would dream of having in a mother. Her mother kept her warm during the chilly nights, taught her how to cool off in the nearby stream during the scorching days. Her mother cleaned her feathers and groomed her coat and nuzzled her every chance she got. Her mother taught her how to run and how to hide and how to graze (why anyone would voluntarily eat grass over milk though, she had yet to fathom). From the day she was born (aka not that long ago), her mother had provided anything and everything she could ever desire while keeping a careful watch. In summary, her mother’s doting love was suffocating.
So it was with glee that the dark colored filly snuck away this quiet summer morning as her mother grazed. It was no easy feat… she knew she had to be stealthy. Step by step, she pretended to graze, or at least nibble, at the blades beneath her little hooves. Her gaze, however, was steady on her mother, watching for any sign of her mother’s suspicion. Luckily, none came. Step by step, she continued to drift, slowing increasing the distance between herself and the steel gray mare. Finally, she leisurely rounded the base of some large trees that marked the beginning of the forest and their massive boulder friends and breathed a sigh of relief.
Delightedly, she kicked up her heels in a little prancing dance. Free at last!
But then she noticed that she was not alone.
Quieting down suddenly, she pricked both ears forward in alarm and gave a little snort. Luckily, her gaze befell not a vicious mountain lion or hungry wolf, but another horse. Older than her, perhaps her mother’s age (but then again, to a little girl, everyone older seemed her mother’s age), and colored fairly like her mother.
Comforted by this strange mix of both novelty and familiarity, she found herself wandering closer to the quiet mare. The mare didn’t seem dangerous, she noted glady as she approached. “Hello?” she whinnied as she neared, her voice high-pitched and curious, but her eyes glowing with pride at finally discovering something new for herself.
AND RISE WITH ME FOREVER ACROSS THE SILENT SAND
AND THE STARS WILL BE YOUR EYES
AND THE WIND WILL BE MY HANDS