A Horseman Riding By

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

The original version of today’s poem was written in 1974 and appeared in my second collection. I have recently revised and extended it almost beyond recognition, which can happen sometimes when looking back over nearly forty years.

I neither regret my original poems not revising any of them later; just as a poet moves on, so can a poem. [I have no plans to die just yet, but when I do, I dare say my poetry blogs will eventually disappear from the Internet. I therefore intend to leave a permanent record of any revisions I have made to my poems in the form of e-books that I hope to publish in the not too distant future.]

Since early childhood, I have been fascinated by cloud shapes...

A HORSEMAN RIDING BY 

Out of the corner of an eye,

we saw a horseman passing by,

casting long shadows,

pricking the nerves, fair cutting

a dash in a cocked hat

Bold mare, playing her part;

humanity whipping sweat flanks 

to the finishing line;

free rein but to prove themselves,
and (maybe) win hearts 

Clouds passing, birds on wing

bringing us love songs, tall tales
and romantic poems;

a journey through time and space

to heaven knows where 

All secrets, lies, stereotypes

blown away on a kinder wind

than chases us, shouts
abuse every day, we gay lovers 
street cred found wanting 

Horseman in the sky, offering 

mind-body-spirit a free ride

into a dream where differences

co-exist peacefully, and no moral

high ground to put us down

Copyright R. N. Taber 2002; 2013 

[Note: An earlier version of this poem can be found in First Person Plural by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2002.]