"Our Pony", a poem

Our Pony

Softness of heart
Velvet her name,

she of shaggy coat, gentle gaze.

Her short legs worked overtime

in front of the pack, 
the lead she always maintained.

One blue eye, one brown, 
always cautious, watchful 
babysitter on many 
a rambunctious day.

Summer mornings,  
off we went, field eagerly crossed, 
sister and I securely upon her back.

Traversing up and down quarry 

through tall cornfield 
and railroad tracks

wading along river bank, 
or forest trail;

aware of the way home, 
she always led us back.

Until the day our feet 
nearly dragged the ground

we knew our journeys 
had come to an end.

With joy I must admit 
we welcomed a bigger horse,

one eager to explore 
and take us away, fast.

From behind the fence 
we heard her indignant cry 
of being left behind.  
Never again 
did she join the pack, 
no leader she,

Resigned to wait 
until we returned.

She cared for us 
when we were small,
watched us outgrow her.  
We brushed and petted,
walked her by lead,

the big horse 
eventually moved on,

but she was family, 
beloved and cherished, 
she remained.

by Margaret Bednar

This poem is for Poetry Potluck, this weeks theme: Reflection   

The top is a photo of my sister and me with our pony, Velvet.  I am standing and my sister has our dog, Sugar in her lap.  Looking at this picture it both seems so long ago AND like it was yesterday... how can that be?  Well, as I fight the lump in my throat, I can look back and say how lucky we were to grow up in an "innocent" time when we kids didn't worry about being out ALL day, wandering around the countryside, only coming home when we were either hungry or it was starting to get dark.  And our pony was usually with us!  My horse was beloved too.  But when we moved out of the house and got our own apartments, he was sold.  My mom refused to part with Velvet - she said a better caretaker of her children she could never have found!  

This is me in my "beloved" (not really) polyester green 4-H outfit.  Velvet was a great little pony, always well liked by the judges.  She brought home the blue ribbon for both of us this day.  She knew her leads and trotted along so slowly.  Tucked her head in nicely when asked to back up.  Horse shows were not my "thing", though.  My sister, to this day does raise horses and shows them professionally (give me trail riding any day!).  Maybe I would have felt differently if I had been given a better outfit...  :)