In these scenes so natural

find vignettes of life

beyond the confines of

sterile urban living,

wherein cut off

from all things animate

we rot in disconnection

from creation’s nourishment.

 

 

 ***

 

 

I

Carriage horses unharnessed

canter Sussex meadow

in tandem harmony,

pivot,

address the fence

and bow in perfect unison

to passing omnibus,

then trot away,

their choreography to repeat.

 

II

Stags in rut fight

for harem rights

in a field along I-94,

motorists fascinated

pull over to observe

this rarely seen and

elemental joust.

 

 

III

Branding time outside of Redding.

Three bulls in corral

smelling fear and singeing flesh -

nervous understandably.

Herefords gang up on

the Lincoln Red,

who then seeking outlet

crashes wooden gate.

Without benefit of toreadors,

young cowhand learns

first-hand

the weight of panicked bull.

 

 

IV

Moonlit Catskill Mountains’ road

stag leads harem crossing or’ -

as car approaches,

addresses threat and

with massive rack of antlers

punctures driver’s door,

then moves off to tend the females,

his supremacy maintained.

 

V

The three in fellowship,

man, and dog, and horse,

meander up Donnybrook sidewalk.

Horse jumped its fence,

spooked at something,

and wandered into town,

found munching

on Masonic lawn.

No shire ranger in this village,

so man and dog escort it

quiet homeward

to its waiting paddock;

then continue on their way,

unperturbed,

as if this happened every day.

 

 

VI

Faithful Labrador sneaks

into master’s bedroom,

stretches out and

conforms his lengthy body

to sedated form,

attempting to draw off

metastasising pain.

And though he

fails in this his goal

provides subconscious comfort

all the same.

 

***

And so by these scenes so natural,

vignettes of life outside the bounds

of rat-race urban mediocrity,

take nourishment

from all things animate

and re-create your capacity

to appreciate creation’s greatest gifts.

 

James Gagiikwe © 2008