Witch

Leggy, incorrigible from the outset

Whaling on her patient dam

Or sucking noisily. She cracked

Your sternum when you were

Tailing her as I drew blood.

Striking or wheeling for a kick

Rearing when the buyer came to look.

Breaking her, Pedro said she’ll win

With this temper. That name.

When she hit the track

The trainer shook his head “She

Clears the shedrow when she comes down

The aisle” Shaking her nose chain

Like a castanet.

Bullet works in the morning

That secular time when ecstasy

Did not roll her eyes.

Her first start she flew so wide

She ran a mile or more in six furlongs.

The railbirds shrank into the stands

Making a cross by her number.

Impertinent but cunning when she kindly took

Sugar from our hands, we locked on hope

Dashed in the afternoon

When the church of spectators prayed

And shouted in tongues over their tickets

And she went mad.

The music in her head

Clamoured for her to dance

To dwell or prop or buck

Whatever a sorceress wants.

A bolter the stewards said.

Irascible in the gate

A danger on the track. Maenad I birthed

That Easter morning. Ruled off.

My dark and lovely

Filly with a snip.

Quest