Star of the Stables
Lordy, how I laughed when your friend eyeballed me
from under the wide brim of his black ten X Bailey,
walked over and said, “Good God, Jake, what’d you go
and do now? Pick up another sleek sister to add to your string.
Put that one in the spotlight and she’ll shine.
Yes, siree, she could be the new star of the stables!”
He clapped you on the back and tipped his hat to me
as you dropped your hand from my shoulder to my waist
and pulled me in closer, tightening up a little on the lead.
As he walked away, I half-preened, half-pouted: Star of the stables indeed!
Lordy, I’d rather be the cream of the cavvy any day,
one of bunch you whistle up every morning long about daybreak...
and, honest, I don’t care how many fillies frolic around your feedbag
as long as I’m the one you throw your loop at each day...and, no,
I won’t duck my head or bolt. I won’t even buck. I’ll stand sweet
as you please while you saddle me up--no need to tie my reins--
Oh, I may tremble a tiny bit when the blanket hits my bare back,
but every gal’s got her sensitive spots...
And, ride! Let me
tell you, mister, You’ve never known heaven until
you’ve settled into my jog trot. It’s as smooth and easy
as sitting on the front porch swing in summertime...
and I want you to know that I’m a long distance runner.
I can lope late afternoon into early evening and never miss a beat.
None of that fast dash-and-done-for-the-day sprinting for me.
I save myself and I don’t have the word “quit” in my vocabulary.
And another thing, I’ll leave you light-hearted and breathing easy
because I’m not flighty and I don’t spook unless, of course, it’s a snake
and then I’d be doing us both a real favor to quick-like step aside.
You’ll find me a sure-footed sassy ride even if I do tend to star-gaze.
So, go ahead, shake out your rope and give me a try
and if you don’t like me at the end of the day, well,
all I’ll say is please don’t leave me saddled up and sweating in the sun,
ground-tied to disappointment--yours and mine.
You just strip me clean, slap me on the rump, and turn me loose to run,
because cowboy, I’ve just never seen myself as a one-man mare.
Laurie Wagner Buyer
© 2005
