Saddled

SADDLED

Love is a horse, all sweaty suede and lean
muscle, heart bigger than its head. Love is a

dark horse, the unexpected silhouette, the anti-
man’s empty field—no shadow unattached

as darkness clings to light like a dead horse.
Look: I can make a dove with both hands. Now

a dog, a horse, an elephant. I can make love.
Love is a horse sound the throat makes when

it’s sore. I gurgle, I gag on a horse pill. But love
is an easy thing to swallow. Love is just horsing

around; it leaps like a wild horse from my chest.
Thank God love wears this simple shoe, and I can

nail it to a wall for luck. They say close only counts
in love. Lead love to the river; love might drink.

–from American Fractal
first published in Spillway

4 Comments

  1. I loved your reading, Tim – and this line, especially: Love is a horse sound the throat makes when it’s sore.

  2. love and hand granades and horseshoes.

    Okay, gotta get the book. Are there signed copies somewhere? AngieDLed@aol

  3. Thanks guys:)

    I hate being a salesman, but you can buy signed copies at http://www.rattle.com/fractal.htm

    Or you can buy a copy somewhere else, and mail it to me, and I’ll mail it back. Or you can suggest a place nearby I should try to come to do a reading at!

  4. Will go to that site, thanks. If you’re going to be in the Baton Rouge area, could try to set it up.

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