by Nikki Wallschlaeger
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There’s a pile of horseshit
on my lawn, from Cosmo.
William is Amish, comes to
use our phone. He’s friendly,
use our phone. He’s friendly,
has a goofy sense of humor,
cracks jokes about his culture.
cracks jokes about his culture.
I feed his horse green grass,
talk softly, scratch his cheeks,
talk softly, scratch his cheeks,
look into his dissociated eyes
partially covered by blinders.
partially covered by blinders.
I live in a house known to the
locals as a “witch house,” but
locals as a “witch house,” but
folks know the rural art of
how to mind one’s business.
how to mind one’s business.
Anyway, of course the horse
is beautiful and would rather
is beautiful and would rather
be doing anything else than
pulling cheerful men around
pulling cheerful men around
on errands, wearing leather
from another beast of burden.
from another beast of burden.
Beauty conceals the horror,
horror conceals the beauty.
horror conceals the beauty.
I feel ridiculous, inadequate,
unequipped to alleviate the
unequipped to alleviate the
suffering of others yoked to
disgraceful responsibilities.
disgraceful responsibilities.
Git along, Little Mama,
Giddyup, Big Daddy.
Giddyup, Big Daddy.
How sublime we look,
groomed by resignation.
groomed by resignation.
Led across the world while
someone shouts our price.
someone shouts our price.
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