To My Pony
When first she did appear to me,
From out the dusky shrubbery,
The moonlight silvering brook and tree,
I gazed with fear—
From out the dusky shrubbery,
The moonlight silvering brook and tree,
I gazed with fear—
What mythic dam, what fabled sire,
Did with the laughing Fates conspire,
Imbue with mythologic fire
This creature here?
Did with the laughing Fates conspire,
Imbue with mythologic fire
This creature here?
For "beggar's louse" and clinging burr
Had made a Unicorn of her
And upright tail, like a Centaur
Bespoke her ire.—
Had made a Unicorn of her
And upright tail, like a Centaur
Bespoke her ire.—
What Faun had ridden her to me—
Was hiding now behind what tree—
Ashamed of his simplicity
And scant attire?
Was hiding now behind what tree—
Ashamed of his simplicity
And scant attire?
But as the moon's soft ambient light
Was cast abroad upon the night
I saw before me, standing there,
A gentle little dark brown mare—
With forehead broad and liquid eyes,
Gazing upon me in surprise.
Avaunt thy mythic ancestry!
Thy waiting Faun behind the tree!
I'm glad thou'rt not of spirits born—
Nor Centaur yet, nor Unicorn—
But just my comrade and my friend,
Thru' happy days too soon to end.
For tho' the number of our years,
Of thine and mine, alike appears,
I know the time will surely be
When Death will come 'twixt thee and me.
Would that a well-loved horse's span
Of life could equal that of man!
Or like the Chief in days gone by
Might faithful friends together lie
With faces lifted toward the sky.
Was cast abroad upon the night
I saw before me, standing there,
A gentle little dark brown mare—
With forehead broad and liquid eyes,
Gazing upon me in surprise.
Avaunt thy mythic ancestry!
Thy waiting Faun behind the tree!
I'm glad thou'rt not of spirits born—
Nor Centaur yet, nor Unicorn—
But just my comrade and my friend,
Thru' happy days too soon to end.
For tho' the number of our years,
Of thine and mine, alike appears,
I know the time will surely be
When Death will come 'twixt thee and me.
Would that a well-loved horse's span
Of life could equal that of man!
Or like the Chief in days gone by
Might faithful friends together lie
With faces lifted toward the sky.
But gloomy thoughts let's put away,
And save them for some distant day,
And only trot and prance and play,
My bonnie dear!
And save them for some distant day,
And only trot and prance and play,
My bonnie dear!
We'll canter forth at early dawn,
When dewdrops twinkle on the lawn,
And chase the very woodland Faun,
That brought you here.
When dewdrops twinkle on the lawn,
And chase the very woodland Faun,
That brought you here.
For in the dusky gloaming dim,
When first appears the crescent's rim,
I hear him whistling you to him
Adown the glade.
When first appears the crescent's rim,
I hear him whistling you to him
Adown the glade.
Go not—I would too lonely be—
Between my little mare and me
Is understanding sympathy—
Be glad you staid!
Between my little mare and me
Is understanding sympathy—
Be glad you staid!
Quite soon enough we two must part—
At thought of it the teardrops start—
Thy loss lies heavy on my heart,
My faithful friend.
At thought of it the teardrops start—
Thy loss lies heavy on my heart,
My faithful friend.
Let's joy and love and pleasure know—
I kiss your mane's soft rippling flow—
Just live and love me here below,
Until the end.
I kiss your mane's soft rippling flow—
Just live and love me here below,
Until the end.
I'm sure that in God's great good plan,
For faithful horse, as faithful man,
A Heaven waits, which knows no ban
For creatures here—
For faithful horse, as faithful man,
A Heaven waits, which knows no ban
For creatures here—
For in His loving thought of all
His creatures here, both great and small,
His sympathy for each and all,
Is God more dear.
His creatures here, both great and small,
His sympathy for each and all,
Is God more dear.